Goa Cabinet Reshuffle: Ramesh Tawadkar, Digambar Kamat Sworn In As Ministers

Panaji: Ramesh Tawadkar, who resigned as Goa Assembly speaker earlier in the day, and former chief minister Digambar Kamat were sworn in as ministers in the Goa cabinet led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday.

The duo took the oath at the Raj Bhavan here. Earlier today, Tawadkar resigned as Goa Assembly speaker, hours before his induction into the cabinet. The 57-year-old Canacona MLA tendered his resignation to State Legislature Secretary Namrata Ulman at the assembly complex, as Deputy Speaker Joshua D’Souza is currently out of the state on a private visit.

“I wanted to complete my five years as the Speaker, but the party (BJP) wanted me to step down and work for the organisation. I was asked to take the ministerial berth,” Tawadkar told PTI. He said that he kept resisting for some time before giving in to the wishes of his party.

The state cabinet reshuffle took place as one ministerial post was vacant after Govind Gaude was dropped from the cabinet on June 18 and another minister, Aleixo Sequeira, resigned on Wednesday, citing personal reasons.

The announcement came after CM Sawant held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday. Following which, CM Sawant had confirmed that Tawadkar and Kamat would be made ministers.

“I am happy that during my role as Speaker, I managed to keep the respect of the chair and neutrality. I have shown that the Speaker can do a lot of things for society,” Tawadkar said, referring to his initiative of ‘Shram Dham’ under which the poor and needy are given housing at no cost.

Tawadkar was elected as the Assembly Speaker in March 2022, soon after the BJP won the Goa polls. Elected to the Assembly in 2007, he earlier served as a minister in the BJP governments, with portfolios including sports, tribal welfare and agriculture.

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