PANAJI: Chief minister Pramod Sawant exuded confidence on Tuesday that his government would win the floor test scheduled for Wednesday. Since the strength of the house is now 36, Sawant will require the support of 19 MLAs to prove his majority.The coalition government that Sawant heads comprises 12 BJP MLAs, three each from the Goa Forward Party and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, and three independents taking the total to 21.“We will go for the floor test tomorrow (Wednesday),” he told reporters outside the chief minister’s office. “There will be no problem. We will 100% win it.”Congress, with 14 MLAs, is the single-largest party in the house, with NCP having lone MLA.The assembly session, which will begin at 11.30am, will see deputy speaker Michael Lobo perform the duties of speaker, Sawant’s former role before his appointment as the chief minister. The new speaker, sources said, would be elected during the next assembly session.Sawant arrived at the CMO with a photo of the late chief minister Manohar Parrikar, and placed it on a chair next to his.After the floor test, Sawant is expected to head to Delhi to meet central BJP leaders.The 40-member house currently has 36 members due to demise of Parrikar and former deputy chief minister Francis D’Souza, as well as the defections of two Congress MLAs — Dayanand Sopte and Subhash Shirodkar — to BJP.Sawant also expressed confidence that BJP would win both the Lok Sabha seats as well as all three assembly constituencies—Mandrem, Shiroda and Mapusa—going for byelections.The newly-appointed chief minister also said that his cabinet would comprise two deputy chief ministers—Ramkrishna Dhavalikar of MGP and Vijai Sardesai of the GFP BJP and the two coalition partners were involved in hectic negotiations after Parrikar’s death, which delayed Sawant’s swearing-in to early hours on Tuesday.Sawant said that portfolio allocation would be done as early as possible.Meanwhile, the new chief minister has appealed to people not to congratulate him on his chief ministership as the state is still in mourning following Parrikar’s death. Regarding Shigmo celebrations, which are scheduled during the mourning period, Sawant said he would take a decision after discussion with the administration.Sawant, when asked for his reaction to Congress threatening to challenge the formation of his government in court, said, “Let them go to court, who has stopped them?”

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