Goa CM expands cabinet by inducting eight ministers

Panaji, June 25 (UNI) Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat today expanded his 17-day-old ministry to its full strength by inducting eight more ministers.

The ministers who were sworn in are Dayanand Narvekar, Filip Neri Rodrigues, Pandurang Madkaikar, Joaquim Alemao, Manohar (Babu) Azgaonkar, Aleixo Sequira (all Congress), Francisco Micky Pacheco (NCP) and Vishwajit Rane (independent), son of State Assembly Speaker Pratapsinh Rane.

The Chief Minister expanded his cabinet to its full size of 12 ministers.

Governor S C Jamir administered the oath of office and secrecy to all the eight ministers at a simple ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan.

Earlier, a four-member ministry headed by Mr Kamat was sworn in with three other cabinet ministers Ravi Naik (Congress), Jose Philip D Souza (NCP) and Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavlikar on June eight.

The portfolios will be allocated to all the ministers by this evening or tomorrow.

The much-awaited expansion was delayed since the Chief Minister was under pressure from a number of senior legislators from within the Congress and also demands of ministerial berths from the allies -- NCP and Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP)-- besides the independents supporting the government.

Prominent among others present for the swearing-in ceremony included Assembly Speaker Pratapsinh Rane, a former chief minister, cabinet ministers and MLAs.

UNI