PANAJI
Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis appeared more at home at the Goa Raj Bhavan compared to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who on Monday was appointed Chief Minister by Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai.
Perhaps still reeling from the enormity of the decision taken by his party MLAs to anoint him as their leader, Sawant waited like a class monitor eager to submit a report to Pillai on Monday evening.
While all the top BJP leaders including Fadnavis, BJP national general secretary CT Ravi, Union Minister of State Shripad Naik, state BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanavade awaited the arrival of Pillai at the Raj Bhavan’s durbar hall, Sawant appeared pensive.
After Pillai took his seat, it took Fadnavis’ prodding for the Chief Minister to begin the affairs related to staking claim to form Goa’s new government.
“CM sir, you initiate, say why you have come here,” Fadnavis told Sawant who in turn told the Governor about the support of 25 MLAs to the BJP-led coalition government.
The BJP had paraded all its 20 MLAs, but the Governor appeared to want to physically verify the support of three independent candidates, as a result of which Aleixo Reginaldo, Dr Chandrakant Shetye and Antonio Vas were called to the forefront.
Next was the turn of Tanavade, as BJP state president to submit his party’s claim to stake power.
As the letter was being formally offered to the Governor, Pillai wondered if it would be more appropriate if he could stand on his legs to receive the letter from Tanavade.
“Standing is better. I was on a standing commission for a long time,” Pillai quipped in the process.
After the submission of the letter and having satisfied that Sawant did indeed have the support of 25 MLAs, Pillai dictated the letter appointing Sawant as the Chief Minister on the spot.
The Monday late evening developments at Raj Bhavan where the BJP formally staked claim to form a government is perhaps the first instance of the proceedings being telecast live to audiences through media platforms.
