Goa: CM Pramod Sawant tenders resignation, swearing-in date yet to be decided

Panaji (Goa) [India], March 12 (ANI): Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday tendered resignation to Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai at Raj Bhawan in Panaji to pave way for the formation of the new government after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the popular mandate in the state.
Speaking to reporters after tending the resignation, Sawant said, "The procedure to form the new government has begun. The House would be dissolved on Monday. The Central observer will arrive in Goa to decide the date of the swearing-in ceremony of the new government."
Sawant is now the caretaker Chief Minister of Goa.
In a tweet today, Sawant wrote, "Met the Governor Shri @psspillaigov ji at Raj Bhavan today to hand over my resignation letter. The Governor has appointed me as the caretaker CM until the further process."
The Chief Minister highlighted that Goa will continue to prosper with the double engine government under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"With blessings of the people of Goa, the BJP is once again going to form the government in the state which will work on the principles of Antyodaya. Goa will continue to prosper with the 'Double Engine Sarkar' under the dynamic leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi ji," the tweet said.
The BJP, which fell one seat short of the majority figure in Goa, is set to retain power in the state with the help of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak (MGP) and independent candidates.
The BJP emerged as the single largest party in Goa, winning 20 seats in the 40-member state Assembly, leaving Congress with 11 seats at a distant second position. Independent candidates bagged three seats while two seats each went to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak (MGP). Revolutionary Goans Party and Goa Forward Party (GFP) got one seat each.
According to Election Commission, the BJP got 33.31 per cent vote share followed by Congress (23.46 per cent), MGP (7.60 per cent), AAP (6.77) and Trinamool Congress (5.21 per cent).
Goa election in-charge for the BJP Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday evening said that it will form a full majority government in the coastal state with the support of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak (MGP) and three independent MLAs, Antonio Vas, Chandrakant Shetye and Alex Reginald. (ANI)