Parrikar Quit the defence minister post and to take oath as Goa CM tomorrow

Jaitley become new defence minister, President accepted the resign of Manohar Parrikar

The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of  Manohar Parrikar, from the Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution. Further, as advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Shri Arun Jaitely, Cabinet Minister, shall be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Defence, in addition to his existing portfolios. 

Mr. Parrikar, who resigned as Chief Minister in 2014 to become a Union Minister, has 15 days to prove his majority in the 40-member House.

“I have tendered my resignation as Defence Minister and have sent it to the PMO. I will be taking the oath [as Chief Minister] tomorrow evening, along with the Cabinet ministers,” Mr. Parrikar told news agency  on Monday. BJP sources reiterated here that a majority of the Cabinet berths are expected to be offered to the coalition partners.

"The details are still being worked out. We will retain Finance and Home Ministry. Preliminary talks about portfolio allocation with our partners were conducted by Nitin Gadkariji. The finer details are being worked out by Mr. Parrikar himself in consultation with other party leaders," a senior party leader said on Monday.

The BJP won 13 seats and the Congress 17 in the 40-member Assembly. On Sunday, Mr. Parrikar called on Governor Mridula Sinha and submitted evidence of support of the 13 MLAs of the BJP, three each of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and two independent MLAs. On Monday, the BJP received another letter of support from independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar who was elected from Sanguem constituency, taking the number to 22.

'Why didn't the Governor invite Congress?'

The Congress, which emerged as the single largest party in the State, has criticised the Governor for choosing the BJP to form a government. "People of Goa had given a mandate of single largest party to the Congress, and obviously, Governor Mridula Sinha should have invited the party to form a government,” said Shantaram Naik, party MP from Goa. In a statement, Mr. Naik accused Mr. Parrikar of “murdering the democracy and the provisions of the Constitution by playing a treacherous game to install himself as Chief Minister of Goa”.