Manohar Parrikar returns as Goa chief minister

Panaji: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manohar Parrikar was on March 14 sworn in as the Goa chief minister for the fourth time.

Parrikar, who resigned as Defence Minister, was administered the oath of office in presence of top BJP leaders including BJP national president Amit Shah, Union Ministers Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari, J.P. Nadda and several other dignitaries.

Nine ministers were also sworn in during the ceremony, namely Sudin Dhavalikar and Manohar Azgaonkar of the Maharashtrawdi Gomantak Party, Vijai Sardesai, Vinod Palienkar and Jayesh Salgaonkar of the Goa Forward, Francis D’Souza, Pandurang Madkaikar of the BJP and Independent legislators Govind Gawde and Rohan Khaunte.

For Parrikar, the fourth stint in the top post comes following the party’s emphatic mandate in the assembly polls on March 11.

The first IITian to become Chief Minister, Parrikar’s two previous terms — October 2000-02, February 2002-05 — had been bumpy rides with constant pinpricks from his alliance partners. But his third term, March 2012-14, had no coalition strings attached.

In 2012, BJP enjoyed a simple majority — 21 in the 40-member assembly and also has a buffer of three MLAs of ally Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independents.

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