By Marcellus D’Souza

Mar 28: Pramod Sawant is the chosen one. There is no doubt about this. Chosen not by the people of Goa, but the BJP’s ‘high command’ comprising PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President J. P. Nanda who have taken the final decision to make him the next chief minister.

As much as he will be sworn into office today, March 28, 2022, for the second term and will be issued the ‘warrant of office’ by Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, his taking over of the state can best be described as tumultuous. He has already called on the Governor and submitted a list of 8 names, these include Vishwajit Rane, Mauvin Godhino, Ravi Naik, Nilesh Cabral, Subhash Shirodkar, Rohan Khaunte, Govind Gaude and Atansio Monserrate.

This shows that Pramod Sawant has accommodated the entire ‘dissident’ and has saved himself plenty of trouble.

But, right up to his swearing-in day, meetings are being held to iron out the creases. A meeting was held this morning at 10 am between Home Minister Amit Shah and former chief minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis to “finalise the list of Ministers”.

This indicates that not all is well in government formation in the 40-member assembly. Whatever happened to all the many meetings held in Delhi on the subject? Or is the pressure being applied by the ‘dissent’ group led by Ponda MLA and former chief minster Ravi Naik along with Panjim MLA Atanasio 'Babush' Monserrate and 7 other MLAs.

The cause of this ‘revolt’ is the inclusion of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), led by Sudein Dhavlikar, into the government. This is despite the fact that the BJP has on its own won 20 seats, one short for an absolute majority.

It would be embarrassing for the BJP to drop the MGP at this crucial juncture. The ‘deal’ was put into place by Devendra Fadnavis who had termed the marriage between the MGP and BJP as a relationship because both parties were “ideologically aligned”. The support of the MGP gives the Pramod Sawant government an absolute majority of 25 MLAs, including the support of 3 Independent MLAs. Surly, Chandrakant Shetye (Bicholim), Alexio Reginado Lourence (Curtorim) and Antonio Vaz (Cortalim) will demand their pound of flesh too.

This makes the problem thrice more complicated. Amit Shah will have to meet the demands of all three groups. What were the promises made by Devendra Fadnavis to the MGP when it wooed it to its fold? Will Sudein Dhavlikar settle for anything less in importance? Will Vishwajit Rane stop being the stumbling block and placate the ‘dissident’ group or like former Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho who in a rather meek manner relinquished his dream of a plump position. Will the Independent MLAs settle for lesser portfolios in the government?

It is a do or die situation. Every MLA knows fully well that if they don’t strike now, when the iron is hot, it will never happen until 2027. Not to forget the crucial General Elections of 2024 have to be won at all cost.

An ad hoc decision may be arrived at. But as much as politicians may make the strangest of bed fellows; they do not trust they kin. Goa today, is facing a trust deficit. In the last 16 years Goa has seen 16 Chief Minster. But this time is different. Besides the ‘developmental' issues entrusted to Pramod Sawant, the 2024 elections have to be won. How can this be achieved with factionalism besetting the BJP in the state from the get go.

The 44-year-old Pramod Sawant may be sworn in and congratulatory message galore will fill every inch of news print but uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Pramod Sawant still remains on slippery ground waiting of one of the parties to pull the rug from beneath his feet The equations, finally comes down to the wire. Will the support of 2 MGP MLAs demolish the government sooner rather than later? After all it is power and position and all that goes with it, at stake.