By Marcellus D’Souza

Panaji, Apr 9: Goa Governor P. S. Sreedharan Pillai today administered oath of office to Sudin Dhavalikar, Nilkanth Halarnkar, Subhash Phal Dessai as ministers at a simple ceremony held at the Durbur Hall of Carbo Raj Bhavan.

First to take the oath of secrecy was Sudin Dhavalikar. He was presented a bouquet of flowers by the Governor after the oath taking. Nilkanth Halarnkar took the oath in Marathi next. He too was greeted with flowers after he had signed his warrant of appointment. Subhash Phal Dessai then took the oath in Marathi and was greeted with loud applause from the audience. He too was greeted by the Governor with a bouquet of flowers.

Earlier on Saturday, Deputy Speaker of the assembly and Sanguem MLA Subhash Phal Dessai had regined from the post of Deputy Speaker. This was to facilitate him to be inducted into the Sawant cabinet.

The swearing-in of Sudin Dhavalikar brings to an end speculation that the former Deputy Chief Minister and six-term member of the Goa Legislative Assembly, representing the Marcaim constituency would be offered a ministerial post in the Pramod Sawant cabinet. This is because there was opposition to the ‘unconditional support’ the MGP had extended to the government in a deal cut by former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis from Vishwajit Rane, Ravi Naik and ‘Babush’ Atanasio Monserrate who have since been accommodated in the cabinet.

Digambar Kamat, ex chief minister and MLA from Margao, who is rumoured to join the BJP in time for the expansion of the cabinet continued to be a loyal soldier of the Congress party. Kamat had denied the rumour that was floating about thick and fast about his intention to join the BJP. These rumours grew after his recent visit to New Delhi purportedly for the ‘marriage of a close relative’. It may be recalled that Kamat had flirted with the BJP for a brief period in 1994 when he joined the Coalition government. However in 2005 he returned to the Congress and has remained a steadfast supporter of the grand old party. On April 1, 2022, Congress President Sonia Gandhi appointed Kamat as “permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) with immediate effect”. The CWC is the highest body in the 137-year-old party.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and all 8 of his cabinet colleagues that included Vishwajit Rane, Mauvin Godhino, Ravi Naik, Nilesh Cabral, Subhash Shirodkar, Govind Gaude Atanasio Monserrate and ‘Babush’ Atanasio Monserrate amongst other invited dignitaries attended the swearing in ceremony which began and ended with the National Anthem.

Pramod Sawant chose to leave out three independents who have already pledged support to his government. These include Jit Vinayak Arolkar who won the Mandrem seat on an MGP ticket; Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco who won the Curtorim seat as an Independent candidate and Antonio Vas who the Cortalim seat as an Independent candidate.
The portfolios of the 3 minister’s sworn-m today will be announced later.

A number of supporters of the three ministers as well as invited guests attended the brief ceremony.