Pramod Sawant swears in as Goa CM for second term

Eight other BJP MLAs were also sworn in as ministers of his cabinet.

They included Vishwajit Rane, Mauvin Godinho, Ravi Naik, Nilesh Cabral, Subhash Shirodkar, Rohan Khaunte, Govidn Gaude and Atanasio Monserrate.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister for Road Transport Nitin Gadkari, BJP national president JP Nadda, Himachal Pradesh Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Haryana CM Mohan Lal Khattar among others.

Sawant, who represents Sanquelim constituency in the state assembly, had succeeded then-Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in 2019 after his demise.

Sawant was elected as an MLA from Sanquelim constituency for the consecutively third term this year.

He defeated Dharmesh Saglani of Congress.

The event was held at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium at Taleigao.

This was the second time that the swearing-in of a CM was held outside the Raj Bhavan.

Earlier, Manohar Parrikar was sworn-in as CM outside the Raj Bhavan in 2012.

The BJP came to power in the state consecutively for the third term.

After winning 20 out of the 40 seats, the BJP, which required one more to get the majority, was supported by three independents and Trinamool Congress' estranged ally Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), which has two MLAs.