Goa Polls 2017: President accepts Manohar Parrikar's resignation, Arun Jaitley gets additional charge of Defence Ministry

President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday accepted Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s resignation from the Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has been assigned the additional charge of Defence Ministry by the President.

Manohar Parrikar was appointed the Goa Chief Minister late on Sunday and will oath at 5pm on Tuesday. He has to prove majority on floor of the House within 15 days of taking oath. Parrikar, who resigned from the Union Cabinet at noon on Monday, will be sworn-in with 10 ministers.

Despite being a runner-up behind the Congress, the BJP pulled off a coup and staked the claim to form the next government in Goa in coalition with local outfits and independents under Manohar Parrikar, a day after the fractured verdict.

As the saffron party outmanoeuvred the Congress in its bid for power, AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh has accused Parrikar of indulging in “horse trading and “hijacking the popular mandate which was in favour of the Congress.”