Battle for Goa: Manohar Parrikar faces floor test today

New Delhi [India], Mar. 16 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Goa, headed by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, will face the crucial floor test today, as a special Assembly session has been convened for the purpose. Parrikar, who stepped down as Defence Minister, was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of the coastal state for the fourth time on Tuesday evening, along with nine ministers. BJP chief Amit Shah and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari attended Parrikar's swearing-in ceremony. Former Goa chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar was also present. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Manohar Parrikar after he was sworn-in. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/manoharparrikar">@manoharparrikar</a> and his team on being sworn in. My best wishes in taking Goa to new heights of progress.</p>&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/841621993153810434">March 14, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> The Chief Minister then replied to the Prime Minister saying, "Thank you Pradhan Mantriji. As always, looking forward to your full support & cooperation for the development of Goa." Parrikar claims support of 22 legislators, two more than the halfway mark in the 40-member Assembly. The BJP had bagged 13 seats in the polls, while it claims support of three MLAs each of the Goa Forward Party and Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party, besides three independents. Congress had won 17 seats. Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court cleared the decks for the oath taking of Parrikar as Chief Minister by refusing Congress' plea to stay the ceremony and ordered holding of the floor test today. The apex court had said, no other business apart from holding the floor test will be conducted. (ANI)