Goa political crisis: As Congress stakes claim to form govt, BJP says decision on new CM shortly

A day after Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's death, Congress MLAs met Governor Mridula Sinha on Monday and staked claim to form government in the coastal state.

All the 14 Congress MLAs, led by Leader of the Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, went to Raj Bhawan and handed over a letter to Sinha, saying it was the single largest party in the Assembly and should be allowed to form the government.

"We are saddened by the chief minister's demise, but before his final rites are performed, a new government has to be formed...The governor has acknowledged that the Congress is the single largest party and she said she will get back to us," Kavlekar told reporters.

Meanwhile, the BJP unit in the state said that a decision on the new chief minister --  a move necessitated by the demise of Manohar Parrikar -- will be taken shortly, and the swearing in ceremony will be held after 3 pm on Monday.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari is currently holding talks with the two allies in the state -- Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Goa Forward Party (GFP) -- to deliberate on the new chief minister.  The alliance failed to reach a consensus on the next CM despite the hectic late-night parleys held by Gadkari.

The names that are floating around in the search for Parrikar's successor are those of Pramod Sawant, the Goa assembly speaker, and allies Sudhin Dhawalikar and Vijay Sardesai, the respective heads of MGP and GFP.

However, it is likely that the BJP may zero in on one among Vishwajit Rane, Vinay Tendulkar and Pramod Sawant. 

Here are the latest updates on the ongoing political turmoil in the state:

• All 14 Congress MLAs in Goa met Governor to stake claim to form government. "We met the Governor and staked claim to form government as we are the single largest party in the state. We have 14 MLAs and we should be given the chance to form the government. We have told that we will prove majority. Saddened by demise of Goa CM," says Chandrakant Kavlekar.

• Meanwhile, Goa BJP chief said that the decision on the next chief minister will be taken by 2 pm and the swearing inceremony will take place at 3 pm. 

• BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar said that swearing in ceremony would be held after 3pm today, reported Times of India. 

• While the BJP is pushing hard for its own candidate, the two allies are reportedly against Pramod Sawant's candidature.

• The BJP-led coalition government is just above the majority mark, particularly after the demise of Manohar Parrikar.

• With the demise of Parrikar, the strength of 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly has been reduced to 36. BJP MLA Francis D'Souza died last month, while two Congress members had resigned last year.