Goa’s health minister Laxmikant Parsekar has sworn-in as chief minister of the state following the resignation of chief minister Manohar Parrikar to join union cabinet. Governor Mridula Sinha administered his oath at Raj Bhavan along with nine other ministers, including out-going deputy chief minister Francis D'Souza. Earlier his name was formally proposed by outgoing chief minister Manohar Parrikar and seconded by Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza at the second meeting of party MLAs.BJP General Secretary and Centre observer Pratap Rudy announced the name of next Chief Minister in the presence of Former Karnataka Chief Miniser B S Yedurappa and Goa desk incharge Mr Purshottam Rupala. He is the state's 11th chief minister.Parsekar's candidature has also been endorsed by the highest decision-making body of the BJP, the parliamentary board. Earlier, Parrikar faxed his resignation to Governor Mridula Sinha at Raj Bhavan. The 58-year-old technocrat- turned politician had taken over as Chief Minister in March 2012 after BJP rode to power in the coastal state.
Parrikar met Goa Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao and explained to him the reason for his departure from state politics. Parrikar, during his third tenure as chief minister from 2012, had a good relationship with the influential Roman Catholic Church in Goa which subtly backed the Bharatiya Janata Party during the last assembly polls.
