Manohar Parrikar, who is tipped to get the Defence portfolio at the Centre, said on Friday he would resign as Goa Chief Minister tomorrow, paving the way for his induction in the Union Cabinet.
The BJP is expected to convene a meeting of its parliamentary board this weekend to discuss who will succeed him as Goa Chief Minister.
Amid indications that State Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has emerged as the frontrunner to succeed him, Parrikar said a new CM will be sworn in within two hours of his resignation tomorrow. Apart from Parsekar, Assembly Speaker Rajendra Arlekar and Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza have been shortlisted for the top post, according to sources.
Parrikar had apparently sought time to move, during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week. However, both the party and the PM would like Parrikar to move to Delhi before the Winter Wession of Parliament commences on November 24.
Prominent names Along with Parrikar, other prominent names in the reckoning for inclusion in the Cabinet are Shiv Sena leader and former minister Suresh Prabhu, Maharashtra BJP leader Hans Raj Ahir, former finance minister Yashwant Sinha’s son Jayant Sinha and a Jat leader from either Haryana or Rajasthan.
The new ministers are expected to be sworn in on Sunday afternoon at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Before the swearing in ceremony, it is expected that the PM will meet his ministers at his official residence. He had held a similar meeting before his oath-taking ceremony in May, with a small team of 45 ministers.