PANAJI, March 13 - Manohar Parrikar today resigned as the Defence Minister and will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Goa tomorrow heading the BJP-led ministry which has the support of regional outfits and Independents.
Parrikar was on Sunday appointed by the BJP to head the new government in the coastal state. Goa Governor Mridula Sinha has asked Parrikar to prove majority on the floor of the Goa Legislative Assembly within 15 days after taking oath.
The decks were cleared for Parrikar to take over as Goa Chief Minister with President Pranab Mukherjee today accepting his resignation as Defence Minister and assigning additional charge of the ministry to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
Earlier in the day, Parrikar resigned to head a new BJP government in Goa. He sent a faxed letter of resignation to the Prime Minister�s Office ahead of the oath taking ceremony, set for Tuesday at 5 pm at Raj Bhavan in Goa.
The BJP, which failed to cross the halfway mark in the Assembly polls with its tally dipping to 13 from 21, pulled off a coup yesterday by enlisting the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and two Independents, to reach the magic figure of 21 in the 40-member House.
The BJP stole a march on the Congress which failed to muster the numbers despite emerging as the single largest party with 17 seats. The Congress was hoping to get the support of the GFP that has bagged three seats in its maiden bid at the hustings.
But by deft moves, coordinated by party veteran and Union minister Nitin Gadkari, the BJP succeeded in keeping the Congress at bay, winning over smaller parties and Independents, who were keen that Parrikar should lead the ministry. � Agencies
PANAJI, March 13 - Manohar Parrikar today resigned as the Defence Minister and will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Goa tomorrow heading the BJP-led ministry which has the support of regional outfits and Independents.
Parrikar was on Sunday appointed by the BJP to head the new government in the coastal state. Goa Governor Mridula Sinha has asked Parrikar to prove majority on the floor of the Goa Legislative Assembly within 15 days after taking oath.
The decks were cleared for Parrikar to take over as Goa Chief Minister with President Pranab Mukherjee today accepting his resignation as Defence Minister and assigning additional charge of the ministry to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
Earlier in the day, Parrikar resigned to head a new BJP government in Goa. He sent a faxed letter of resignation to the Prime Minister�s Office ahead of the oath taking ceremony, set for Tuesday at 5 pm at Raj Bhavan in Goa.
The BJP, which failed to cross the halfway mark in the Assembly polls with its tally dipping to 13 from 21, pulled off a coup yesterday by enlisting the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and two Independents, to reach the magic figure of 21 in the 40-member House.
The BJP stole a march on the Congress which failed to muster the numbers despite emerging as the single largest party with 17 seats. The Congress was hoping to get the support of the GFP that has bagged three seats in its maiden bid at the hustings.
But by deft moves, coordinated by party veteran and Union minister Nitin Gadkari, the BJP succeeded in keeping the Congress at bay, winning over smaller parties and Independents, who were keen that Parrikar should lead the ministry. � Agencies
