Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Ending weeks of speculation, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant expanded his cabinet on Thursday, bringing veteran leader and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar into the council of ministers.
At a formal ceremony at Raj Bhavan, Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju administered the oath of office and secrecy to the two BJP legislators in the presence of Sawant and senior party leaders.
The move follows back-to-back vacancies created by the removal of Govind Gaude on June 18 and the resignation of Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira a day ago. With the reshuffle in place, attention now turns to portfolio allocation, as Sawant is expected to offload some key departments currently under his charge.
Kamat, 71, who headed the state between 2007 and 2012 as Congress Chief Minister before switching to the BJP in 2022, marks his return to the cabinet after more than a decade. Tawadkar, 57, who relinquished the Speaker’s chair to take up ministerial duties, had earlier served in Manohar Parrikar’s team from 2012 to 2017.
“I had hoped to complete my full term as Speaker, but the party has entrusted me with this responsibility keeping 2027 in mind,” Tawadkar said after the swearing-in.
Sawant, meanwhile, indicated there would be no further changes “for now,” but added, “anything can happen at any time,” leaving scope for more political manoeuvres in the months ahead.
“I Congratulate Ministers Ramesh Tawadkar and Digambar Kamat and welcome them to my cabinet. They will work for the development of the people and Goa,” said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant after the swearing-in ceremony.
