Page 5 - Pramod Sawant

Mamata-led Trinamool Congress spent big for Goa polls, drew blank

The Goa assembly elections were keenly fought with the Trinamool Congress and Aam Aadmi Party throwing their hats in the ring but when it came to poll expenditure, it was the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress that loosened its purse strings spending a whopping Rs 47.54 crore. The BJP, which retained power in Goa with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the helm, spent over Rs 17.75 crore towards election expenditure in the state. The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP spent nearly Rs 3.5 crore in Goa, where it tried its luck for the second consecutive assembly elections. The details of the election expenditure were submitted by the respective political parties to the Election Commission recently. The Congress, which was hoping to dislodge the BJP from power in Goa, spent approximately Rs 12 crore on the Goa elections. The Nationalist Congress Party gave Rs 25 lakh each to the 11 candidates it had fielded for the elections, besides spending on the campaign from the party's central fund. The

Goa CM launches host city logo for FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2022

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday launched the host city logo of FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2022

8 Goa MLAs who switched to BJP, CM Sawant arrive in Delhi to meet PM Modi

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant arrived in Delhi along with the eight newly inducted MLAs, who defected to the BJP from the Congress, late at night on Sunday.Sawant along with the new BJP joiners would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.CM Sawant said, "We have come to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi."Earlier on September 14, all the eight MLAs; Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes joined BJP after meeting Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the Assembly complex."I went to a temple, asked Gods and Goddesses that this (joining BJP) is in my mind, what should I do... God said, you go ahead, don't worry," said former Congress MLA Digambar Kamat."We have merged with BJP with a majority of 2/3rd to strengthen the hands of PM Modi and CM Pramod Sawant... Congress Chhodo, BJP ko Jodo," said former Congress MLA Michael Lobo.Meanwhile, Goa CM Sawant also took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi-led ..

Goa CM Sawant to meet PM along with eight MLAs who switched to BJP

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant along with eight MLAs, who recently switched to the BJP from the Congress, will leave for Delhi later on Sunday to meet PM Modi and other senior saffron party leaders

Cabinet reshuffle likely in Goa after 8 Congress MLAs join ruling BJP

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant met Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai on Thursday morning amid talk of a cabinet reshuffle in the wake of eight Congress MLAs joining the ruling BJP. The chief minister, however, told reporters here that the meeting, which followed Wednesday's dramatic developments, had nothing to do with politics. He met the governor at Raj Bhavan to discuss programs for the celebration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday (September 17), Sawant said. But a senior BJP leader said a reshuffle was likely in the next few days as the party would need to accommodate at least a couple of Congress MLAs who have crossed over, including former chief minister Digambar Kamat. The BJP now has 28 MLAs in the 40-member Assembly after eight Congress MLAs switched sides on Wednesday. In 2019, when 10 out of 15 Congress MLAs had defected to the BJP en-masse, the ruling party had dropped three ministers to accommodate three new entrants, and the same pattern may be followed now,

Latest news LIVE: Goa Speaker says he has accepted merger of CLP into BJP

From Covid to the political tussle in Goa, catch all the latest news updates here

No oppn party in Goa left with enough MLAs to stake claim for LoP post

With the strength of Congress reduced to three, no opposition party in the Goa Legislative Assembly now has enough MLAs to stake claim to the post of Leader of Opposition. Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar told PTI in the evening that he has approved the defecting Congress MLAs' resolution to merge the Congress Legislative Party with the BJP. Eight out of eleven Congress MLAs joined the ruling BJP earlier on Wednesday. Current Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo was among those who crossed over. Tawadkar, who was in Delhi when these eight MLAs passed a resolution to merge the Congress Legislative Party with the BJP, rushed to his office upon return to Goa on Wednesday evening. As to who would be the Leader of Opposition now, he said he would examine technicalities and give some clarity on Thursday. For any political party to stake claim for the post of LoP, it should have minimum ten percent of MLAs in the House. In 40-member Goa Assembly, a party needs to have at least four MLAs.

Congress Chhodo yatra has started from Goa, says CM Pramod Sawant

His remarks come after eight Congress MLA switched to the BJP earlier in the day

Decided to join BJP to strengthen PM Modi's hands: Congress' Michael Lobo

Michael Lobo, one of the eight Congress MLAs in Goa who joined the BJP on Wednesday, said they took the decision to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. A resolution was passed in the Congress Legislature Party meeting here on Wednesday to merge with the BJP, Lobo said. The opposition is now left with just three MLAs in the 40-member state Assembly. The eight MLAs - former chief minister Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes - joined the BJP in presence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and state BJP chief Sadanand Shet Tanavade. Briefing mediapersons in the presence of Chief Minister Sawant, Lobo said the Congress Legislature Party met on Wednesday morning during which they decided to merge with the BJP. The decision was taken to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Goa CM Pramod Sawant, he said. We have started Congre

'Democracy Network' programme will boost India's foreign relations: Goa CM

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said the "Gen Next Democracy Network" programme will help strengthen the "multi-faceted" relationship that India shares with other democratic countries

MHA recommends CBI probe in death of BJP leader Sonali Phogat: Officials

The Union Home Ministry on Monday ordered a CBI probe into the death of BJP leader Sonali Phogat, officials said. Phogat, 43, was found dead in Goa on August 22-23 night. The MHA's move came after Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The home ministry asked the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to get the case probed by the CBI, an official privy to the development said. The CBI functions under the administrative control of the DoPT. Phogat, the BJP leader from Hisar in Haryana, died in Goa in the intervening night of August 22-23 and her death is being treated as a case of murder. Earlier in the day, Sawant told reporters in Panaji that the Goa Police has done a "tremendously good investigation" in the case and have also got some clues. "But due to the demand of people from Haryana and also Sonali Phogat's daughter, we have decided to write to the Union Home Ministry to

Sonali Phogat case: Goa party asks CM Sawant to step down as home minister

The Goa Forward Party on Thursday demanded that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should step down as state home minister till the inquiry into Sonali Phogat's death case is completed by the central agency

Land grab case: Tug-of-war between Goa CM and Congress leader continues

Reacting on Goa CM Pramod Sawant's assertion that his ministers are not involved in land grabbing, Congress leader has said that the former's "forecasts" have always gone wrong.

'Jungle Raj' in Sunshine State: Goa CM in line of fire over drugs and crime

Since past ten days BJP's Pramod Sawant government has been under fire over alleged murder of Tik Tok star Sonali Phogat in Anjuna-Goa

Chargesheet to be filed soon in Sonali Phogat murder case, says Goa CM

In a response to the murder of BJP leader Sonali Phogat, Goa CM Pramod Sawant said that a confidential report had been sent to the CM of Haryana and the chargesheet would be filed soon

If needed, will recommend CBI probe into Phogat murder case, says Goa CM

Goa CM Pramod Sawant said that BJP leader and Tiktok star Sonali Phogat's case is being thoroughly investigated by senior police officials of the state, but if needed, will recommend a CBI probe

Goa govt ready to hand over Sonali Phogat case to CBI, if required: Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday said his government is ready to hand over the case of death of BJP leader Sonali Phogat to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), if required. Phogat (43), a former Tik Tok star from Hisar in Haryana and contestant on the reality TV show "Big Boss", was brought dead to a hospital in North Goa August 23, a day after arrival in the coastal state. The state police have so far arrested five people in connection with the case. These include two associates of Phogat who have been charged with murder. Talking to reporters in Panaji, Sawant said Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has already spoken to him requesting for a detailed investigation into the case. Sawant said his Haryana counterpart told him that the Phogat family wants the CBI to take over the case. I don't have any issue with it. After all formalities today, if required, will give this case to the CBI, the Goa CM said. Sawant also said the Goa Police are thoroughly ...

PM Modi to address 'Har Ghar Jal Utsav' in Goa virtually today at 10.30 AM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually address the 'Har Ghar Jal Utsav' event in Panaji on Friday morning. Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant would be present for the event, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) has said. The event will be held at Institute Menezes Braganza at 10.30 am. Ahead of his scheduled address, PM Modi appealed to the people passionate about water conservation and environment to join the programme. "It is a special day for Goa and for our efforts to ensure Har Ghar Jal. Will be sharing my remarks via video conferencing at 10.30 AM. Would urge all those passionate about water conservation and the environment to join the programme," the PM tweeted on Friday morning. The CMO said that Goa is the first state in the country to achieve 100 per cent piped water supply in rural areas. "State Public Works Department is the implementing agency for the scheme in Goa," it has said. The event will be inaugurated

BJP wins 140 out of 186 seats in Goa Panchayat elections held on Aug 10

The BJP won 140 seats out of the 186 village panchayat bodies which went to polls on August 10, said Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Goa govt to felicitate freedom fighters today

The Goa government will on Thursday felicitate freedom fighters who fought for the liberation of the state, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said