Govt formation: Goa, Uttarakhand CMs to be announced today

Goa BJP president Sadanand Tanavde said the party’s central observers – Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Minister of State for Fisheries L Murugan – will arrive in Goa on Monday. “Tomorrow at 4 pm a meeting of all elected MLAs of the party will be held in the state BJP office,” he said.

After the decision of the legislature party, the leaders will approach Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai to stake claim to form government, Tanavade said. He said the swearing-in ceremony is likely to be held this week, depending on a date convenient for the central leaders to attend.

While some party leaders indicated that incumbent Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is likely to get another term, a section of party functionaries said former minister Vishwajit Rane, who played a significant role in the BJP improving its tally in the state, is also a frontrunner for the post. Both Sawant and Rane visited Delhi on Saturday for a meeting with the BJP’s central leadership.

In Uttarakhand, there appeared to be more uncertainty, given the fact that caretaker Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami lost his electoral battle although the party emerged victorious.

On Sunday, senior BJP leaders and contenders for the top post held a meeting at Shah’s residence in Delhi. Apart from Nadda, the meeting was attended by Dhami, and senior leaders from the state Trivendra Singh Rawat, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Satpal Maharaj.