Laxmikant Parsekar sworn-in as Goa CM: As it happened

Panaji: Manohar Parrikar resigned as the chief minister of Goa on Saturday ahead of his induction in the Union Cabinet tomorrow. Parrikar has been succeeded by Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who has taken oath as CM.

Nine ministers — seven from BJP and two from its alliance partner Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) were sworn alongwith CM Parsekar.

Those administered the oath as ministers included BJP's Francis D'Souza, Dayanand Mandrekar, Ramesh Tawadkar, Mahadev Naik, Dilip Parulekar, Milind Naik, Alina Saldanha; and MGP's Ramakrishna alias Sudin Dhavalikar and Dipak Dhavalikar. All of them were ministers in the previous Manohar Parrikar government and have been retained in the Parsekar ministry.

Here are the live updates:

4:15 pm: The oath-taking ceremony also puts to rest all speculation over rebellion in the Goa BJP.

4:12 pm: Francis D'Souza, who will continue as the Deputy CM, was also administered oaths of office and secrecy by Governor Mridula Sinha.

4:05 pm: Laxmikant Parsekar is the new chief minister of Goa. He has just been administered oaths of office and secrecy by Governor Mridula Sinha.

3:10 pm: Laxmikant Parsekar, who was this afternoon elected as the leader of the Goa BJP legislature party and as the next state CM, said he is “very happy to be unanimously elected for the post”.

3:07 pm: Francis D'Souza was elected as the deputy leader of the legislature party and will continue as the Deputy CM, Rudy informs.  

3:05 pm: Rudy tells media that the name of Parsekar was proposed by outgoing CM Manohar Parrikar and seconded by Deputy CM Francis D'Souza, who was also in the race for chief ministership.

2:45 pm: Laxmikant Parsekar chosen as Goa's next Chief Minister, announces BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy. He adds that Parsekar, currently Health Minister, was elected unanimously at the legislature party meeting.

2:00 pm: The Goa BJP legislature party is currently meeting to elect its leader, who will take over as new CM of the state.

1:00 pm: BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy has informed the media that the new Goa chief minister will be sworn-in at 4:00 pm today. The election of the leader will be made at the BJP legislature party meeting, Rudy added.  

12:00 noon: Manohar Parrikar has faxed his resignation to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha who is not in the state. The Governor is expected to arrive in the state later in the afternoon.

11:30 am: Sources have said that Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar will be named as the new chief minister of Goa.

11:10 am: BJP MLAs in Goa will meet at 12:30 pm to elect their new leader, it has been learnt.

11:00 am: The BJP parliamentary board meet has ended in New Delhi. The issue of Goa's next CM was discussed at the meet. Senior BJP leader JP Nadda said after the meeting that a formal announcement on Parrikar's successor will be made at 4:00 pm later today.  

10:30 am: The issue of Goa chief ministership will also come up for discussion at the BJP parliamentary board meeting taking place in New Delhi. The agenda of the meeting is mainly to finalise the Union Cabinet reshuffle due tomorrow.

10:25 am: A rebellion is brewing in the Goa BJP over the choice of next CM. While Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Speaker Rajendra Arlekar are being considered for the post by the BJP top brass, Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza has staked his claim to the chief ministership and said he would not work under either of the two leaders because they were junior to him. Several MLAs are in favour of him becoming the CM and have, reportedly, even threatened to resign if that doesn't happen.

==========

Earlier story: Manohar Parrikar, tipped to be the country's next Defence Minister, will resign as the chief minister of Goa on Saturday.

While it is still not official that he will take charge of the crucial Defence Ministry, Parrikar himself has confirmed that he is moving to Delhi after being asked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Parrikar Friday said that although he felt sad to leave Goa, he had decided to accept the offer because it was a matter of "national interest" and because "no one says no to a prime minister".

Parrikar will be sworn in on Sunday when the Union Cabinet is expanded on Sunday afternoon.

Also today, the BJP will announce Parrikar's successor after a meeting of party MLAs.

The party's national observers Rajeev Pratap Rudy and BS Yeddyurappa will be present at the meeting in Goa to tide over the process of transition from Parrikar to the new chief minister.

While current Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Speaker Rajendra Arlekar are the top seeds for the post, Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza put a spanner in the works late Friday by insisting that he would not work under either of the two leaders because they were junior to him.

D'Souza, who claimed that 12 BJP as well as independent legislators were on the same page with him on the issue, however, was more receptive to the idea of Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Shripad Naik being brought to state politics and appointed as chief minister.

Efforts by Parrikar to cajole D'Souza and get him to agree to either Parsekar and Arlekar did not bear fruit, even as the senior BJP leader tried to put a brave face through the embarrassment caused by D'Souza tantrum.

"I have tried my best, now it is up to the party to decide," Parrikar told reporters late Friday after a one-to-one meeting with D'Souza. When asked who in his opinion could be his best successor as chief minister, Parrikar said: "Tomorrow (Saturday) at 1 o'clock on the 8th of November, you can ask."

On Monday, Parrikar is expected to fly to Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh where he will file his nomination papers to book passage to Parliament through the Rajya Sabha.

(With agency inputs)