With 20 votes in favour, Goa CM Sawant wins floor test

Panaji, March 20

Goa CM Pramod Sawant today proved majority of his BJP-led government in the Assembly, comfortably winning a floor test in the House.

When Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo asked for division of votes, 20 MLAs supported the confidence motion in the two-day-old government, while 15 legislators opposed it. The effective strength of the 40-member Assembly is now 36, after the death of two members and resignation by two others. The change in leadership in the coastal state was necessitated due to the death of then CM Manohar Parrikar on Sunday.

After winning the floor test, Sawant appealed to House members to “be positive”, echoing a message given by Parrikar earlier.

The special Assembly session was convened by Governor Mridula Sinha to conduct the floor test. Besides 11 members from the BJP, three each from the Goa Forward Party, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and three Independents supported Sawant. All 14 Congress MLAs and one from the NCP stood up against the motion.

The session began with a discussion on a condolence motion moved by BJP’s Rajesh Patnekar, expressing grief over the death of Parrikar, former Deputy CM Francis D’Souza and former Deputy Speaker Vishnu Wagh.

Sudin Dhavalikar and Vijay Sardesai were appointed Deputy CMs in the BJP-led government on Wednesday. A notification issued by Varsha Naik, Under Secretary in the General Administration Department, said the two were being appointed as Deputy CMs with immediate effect. Dhavalikar belongs to the MGP and Sardesai is chief of the GFP. — PTI