Panaji: Former Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane and Dabolim MLA
Mauvin Godinho
took oath as ministers at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday. Governor Mridula Sinha administered the oath of office to the two new BJP MLAs.
Godinho, an ex-Congressman, joined the BJP a month before the February 4 assembly election, while Rane, son of veteran Congress leader and former chief minister Pratapsingh Rane, joined two weeks ago.
Rane, a two-time MLA, quit the Congress party last month after it failed to form the government despite being the single largest party.
With this twin induction, all berths in chief minister Manohar Parrikar’s cabinet have been filled.
Speaking to reporters after the swearing-in ceremony, chief minister Manohar Parrikar said the newly inducted ministers will be allotted portfolios next week.
MLAs who were appointed ministers last month, have so far been given a portfolio each. Parrikar said a second portfolio will be distributed to all ministers next week, adding that the allocation has been deferred due to the upcoming Good Friday holiday.
Each cabinet minister will finally be allotted three portfolios, with the third set to be given after the budget.
The chief minister, however, did not reveal who would get what in the second round of allocation.
A source said Rane is most likely to get health, the portfolio he held when he first became minister in the Congress-led coalition government in 2007. Rane, a source said, is very keen on the IT portfolio.
Godinho, who was keen on landing the transport portfolio, is likely to be given industries and panchayats.
Town and country planning minister Vijai Sardesai will likely get agriculture, whereas PWD minister Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar, in all probability, will retain the transport portfolio.
Tourism minister Manohar ‘Babu’ Azgaonkar is likely to get the sports portfolio, a source said.
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