Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said that although the opposition initially dubbed him as an "accidental CM", he proved his mettle by heading the state in the "most crucial" situations and ensured its progress. Sawant, who became the chief minister for the second straight term after the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) victory in Assembly elections held in February this year, called 2022 a "very special" year as it established his leadership.
Sawant's first stint as the state's chief minister started in March 2019 following the death of Manohar Parrikar. "In 2019, when I took over as the chief minister, the opposition initially called me an accidental chief minister. Then we won bypolls and Lok Sabha elections and thereafter we kept on winning polls," Sawant told PTI.
He said the BJP's victory in the 2022 assembly elections left no room for doubts. His party won 20 of the 40 seats and formed a government by joining hands with three independents and two Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs. "I could establish my leadership in the year 2022," he said, stressing that it is only due to this factor that eight Congress MLAs switched over to the BJP later.
"The year 2022 was a fresh beginning for me when I was sworn in for the second time. I have progressed step by step and also the state progressed along with me," the chief minister asserted. Sawant said that he had managed to head the state in the most crucial situations. "I took over when projects like Mopa airport and Zuari bridge were incomplete. I ensured that they were completed," he said.
According to him, the administrative reforms introduced by his government have improved the ease of doing business in the coastal state. "We are taking feedback from industries and have given them representation in bodies like the Goa State Investment Promotion Board and Goa Tourism Board," he said.
Asked if the BJP would try to poach more MLAs from the Congress after eight legislators moved to his party, Sawant said that the seven members who are in the opposition will remain there. On the cabinet reshuffle, Sawant said that some of the new legislators will get an opportunity sometime, though he refused to elaborate.
