Live updates: New Goa chief minister to be sworn in at 11 pm today, Goa Information Department says

New Goa chief minister will be sworn in at 11 pm on Monday, PTI reported.
 

BJP President Amit Shah told reporters that talks are still on regarding selection of the next chief minister of Goa. He added that Union minister Nitin Gadkari will hold more talks with allies over this matter and a consensus will be reached soon. 

BJP's Pramod Sawant is set to be the new Chief Minister of Goa, sources said, adding that Sudhin Dhavalikar of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Vijay Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party will be deputy Chief Ministers.

Goa BJP Chief Vinay Tendulkar reacted to reports that Goa Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant to be next Goa CM and said that no name has been finalised yet.

Vinay Tendulkar, Goa BJP Chief on reports that Goa Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant to be next Goa CM: Aise mera bhi naam aa raha hai, sabka naam aa raha hai, aise to naam aate rahenge, abhi vidhayak baithenge aur decide karenge, aaj to pakka hojaega. pic.twitter.com/x8O1cOz89N

— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019

BJP President Amit Shah, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and BJP Goa MLAs including Pramod Sawant arrive at a Hotel in Panaji for a meeting, ANI reported.

BJP President Amit Shah,Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and BJP Goa MLAs including Pramod Sawant arrive at a Hotel in Panaji for a meeting pic.twitter.com/Wu1DSmE2c2

— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019

BJP president Amit Shah, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and BJP Goa MLAs including Pramod Sawant arrive at a Hotel in Panaji for a meeting.

BJP President Amit Shah,Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and BJP Goa MLAs including Pramod Sawant arrive at a Hotel in Panaji for a meeting pic.twitter.com/Wu1DSmE2c2

— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who held several meetings with Goa BJP leaders and alliance partner Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) to select the new chief minister of the state, said the party has finalised its name for Parrikar's successor and the issue is only with alliance partners.

Amid reports that the BJP will announce the name of Goa Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant as the new chief minister of Goa, party workers from Sanquelim constituency have started reaching the Raj Bhawan. Sawant is a two-time MLA from Sanquelim.

The Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai has claimed that a stalemate persisted on the selection of the next chief minister following the death of Manohar Parrikar. GFP is an alliance partner in the state's BJP-led government.

BJP MLA Glenn Ticlo told news agency ANI that one of the 12 BJP MLAs should lead Goa. "Definitely, one among the 12 of us BJP MLAs should lead the state, it is but obvious," Ticlo said.

The Congress delegation which met Governor Mridula Sinha has said that it should be given the chance to form government as it is the single largest party in the Assembly. "We met the Governor and staked claim to form government as we are the single largest party in the state. We have 14 MLAs and we should be given the chance to form the government. We have told that we will prove majority," Congress leader Chandrakant Kavlekar said.

State BJP leaders have confirmed that Pramod Sawant will be the next Goa CM. An official announcement regarding the same is expected soon. Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar said, "Everything will be clear by 2 pm. The swearing-in ceremony of Goa CM will happen today around 3 pm."

Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar: I think everything will be clear by 2 pm. The swearing-in ceremony of Goa CM will happen today around 3 pm. pic.twitter.com/lJ3c95HAv4

— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019

The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) has also said that its executive committee will take a call on whether to continue support to the state government. MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar had on Monday met Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari at a hotel near Panaji to discuss the political situation in the state. "The MGP would hold its executive committee meeting later in the day to decide whether to continue its support to the BJP-led government or not," Dhavalikar had said after the meeting. He also said that there was no discussion with Gadkari on the chief ministerial candidate.

Meanwhile, all 14 Congress MLAs rushed to meet Governor Mridula Sinha to stake claim to form the government on Monday. This is the second time in 24 hours that they have staked claim to form government. In a letter to the Governor on Sunday night, the Congress had said: "We deeply mourn the sad demise of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa. This unfortunate development calls for the immediate action on your part for the smooth transition and transfer of power. The coalition partners of the Parrikar-led government had allied with BJP on condition that the government is headed by Mr Manohar Parrikar, the then Defence Minister of India. The BJP, therefore, has no allies as of now. We therefore hereby once again stake claim to form the government."

#Goa: Congress delegation meets Governor Mridula Sinha in Panaji. pic.twitter.com/pjQhHcwHxx

— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019

BJP sources also claim that Speaker Pramod Sawant and BJP MLA Vishwajit Rane are front-runners for the CM's post. Sawant is a two-time MLA and was elected as the Speaker on March 22, 2017, after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed the government in the state following the Assembly election in alliance with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Goa Forward Party (GFP) and Independents.

As per a PTI report quoting state BJP chief, a decision on who will be the next Chief Minister of Goa will be taken by 2 pm and the swearing in will take place after 3 pm today.