Thanks to support from local parties and independents, BJP to form government in Goa with Manohar Parrikar as chief minister

NEW DELHI: The BJP will form the government in Goa and Union minister Manohar Parrikar will be the state's next chief minister.

This was made possible despite the BJP not having a majority of seats - 13 seats to the Congress's 17 in the 40-member house - because the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), the Goa Forward Party (

GFP

) and three Independents decided to support the party.

That brought the number of seats for the BJP to 22 out of 40, which is a majority. And that ensured Parrikar could stake the claim to form a government, which he did around 8 pm today at the governor's house. He came armed with letters of support from the MGP, the GFP and the Independents.

"Manohar Parrikar will have to give resignation as defence minister before becoming Goa CM, but he has not given it yet," Union minister Nitin Gadkari told the media after the meeting with the governor.

The BJP state unit this morning passed a resolution calling for Parrikar to be named chief minister. He led the party to victory in the 2012 assembly election.

BJP Calangute MLA Micheal Lobo said earlier in the day that the Goa unit has appealed to smaller parties like the MGP and the GFP to help them form a stable government to ensure the state's development.

"MGP,GFP said during our discussions that if Manohar Parrikar becomes Goa CM candidate, then we will support (the BJP)," Gadkari told the media this evening.

Earlier in the day, Parrikar had also said they were consulting with other parties.

"Since there are substantial numbers of small parties being voted, including the independent candidates, we await their response also. We are in consultation with other parties, if they agree things can work out," Parrikar said before the election results.