In Goa, CM Pramod Sawant allocates portfolios, Rane gets crucial ones

Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday distributed portfolios to the eight ministers in the cabinet giving his second-in-command Vishwajit Rane the lucrative portfolios of Health and Town and Country Planning, Forests while keeping Home and Finance with himself.

Sawant, who had promised to allocate portfolios to his ministers by Monday, has retained Mauvin Godinho as his transport minister while Nilesh Cabral who was the power minister in the previous cabinet has now been given charge of the Public Works Department and Environment.

Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate has been given charge of the Revenue department that was held by his wife Jennifer in the previous cabinet while Rohan Khaunte and Govind Gaude, both of whom joined the BJP prior to the elections, have been given charge of tourism and sports respectively.

Sawant has till date accommodated eight ministers in the cabinet all from the BJP and three slots are vacant that are expected to go to the allies including one to the MGP and two to Independents.

Sawant was chosen to be chief minister fighting off a challenge from Rane who was understood to be actively lobbying for the top post.

He has instead been accommodated with the TCP department, considered a lucrative portfolio in Goa as it involves the power to permit or deny construction licences to real estate projects.

The BJP emerged as the single largest party in Goa winning 20 seats in the 40 member house and formed the government with the help of the MGP and Independents.