New Delhi: Union home minister Amit Shah, one of the key strategists of the just-concluded Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, has been appointed as the BJP’s central observer for the state legislature party meeting likely to be held soon. The party also appointed defence minister Rajnath Singh as the observer for Uttarakhand.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and law and Justice minister Kiren Rijiju have been appointed the party’s central observers for Manipur. For the election of the legislature party leader in Goa, the BJP has appointed Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar and minister of state for fisheries and animal husbandry L. Murugan as the central observers.
Former Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das has been appointed as co-observer in UP while minister of state for external affairs Meenakshi Lekhi is the co-observer for Uttarakhand.
In a statement, BJP national general secretary Arun Singh said: “The parliamentary board of the Bharatiya Janata Party has appointed central observers and co-observers for the election of the leader of the legislative parties in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa Assembly.”
In Panaji, meanwhile, Goa BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said on Monday that the new government in Goa will be sworn in after Holi, which falls on March 18, reports PTI.
“The swearing-in ceremony of the new government in Goa would be conducted post-Holi celebrations along with the other three states where the BJP has won a majority,” Mr Tanavade told reporters. However, he did not specify the exact date of the swearing-in ceremony.
Even four days after winning a maximum of 20 seats in the 40-member Goa Assembly, the BJP is yet to stake its claim to forming the next government, which will be the third straight term of the saffron party.
Mr Tanavade said the Goa governor had already administered the oath to Ganesh Gaonkar as pro-tem speaker.
The newly-elected members of the Goa Assembly will take the oath on March 15, when the term of the current Assembly expires. The governor has summoned the Assembly session on Tuesday.
Mr Tanavade rubbished rumours about differences within the party unit over the leadership issue. “There are no differences. The central leaders will decide on the state leadership,” he said, when asked who will become the next chief minister of the coastal state.
Sources said that Vishwajit Rane, health minister in Pramod Sawant’s Cabinet, had thrown his hat in the ring for the CM’s post citing his better victory margin in the recent polls compared to the incumbent CM. Mr Rane represents the Valpoi seat.
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