Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today inducted former Congress leaders Vishwajit Rane and Mauvin Godinho- into his cabinet, taking the tally of ministers to eleven.
Rane, who had quit the Congress and joined the ruling BJP last week, and BJP MLA Godinho, who represents Dabolim assembly constituency, were given oath of secrecy by Governor Mridula Sinha in a function held at Raj Bhavan.
On March 14, Parrikar had inducted nine ministers. With the induction of Rane and Godinho today, the total number of ministers in the Parrikar cabinet has gone up to eleven- with four BJP, three Goa Forward Party, two MGP and two independents, as its members.
Rane and Godinho were ministers in the Congress-led governments in the past.
Rane, who was elected on a Congress ticket from Valpoi seat, had quit the Congress and resigned his assembly membership after the party failed to form the government in Goa despite emerging as the single largest bloc winning 17 seats in the 40-member Assembly.
Rane, son of Congress veteran Pratapsinh Rane, who himself won his 11th term as a legislator in the recent polls, defied the Congress whip to vote against the trust motion brought by Parrikar by absenting himself from the House. He joined BJP last week in the presence of Parrikar and other leaders.
Rane had served as Health minister in the Digambar Kamat-led Congress government between 2007-2012.
Godinho, who has been representing Dabolim assembly constituency since 1994 (till date), was a minister in the Pratapsinh Rane-led cabinet. He was also was the Deputy Speaker of Goa assembly during the Digambar Kamat-led government.
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