india

Updated: Mar 24, 2019 08:53 IST

The Goa Congress has approached the Election Commission of India over appointment of two deputy chief ministers in the state.

The Congress has alleged that Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant violated the model code of conduct by announcing the appointment of the deputy chief ministers in the state.

“The issuance of this order during the period of the model code of conduct is a clear violation and as such this order should be immediately set aside and strict action should be taken by the officer,” the Congress said in its complaint. The complaint alleges violation of article 6(d) of the code which states that “ministers and other authorities shall not make any ad hoc appointments in government, public undertakings etc which may have the effect of influencing the voters in favour of the party in power” while it is in force.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government through an order issued by an undersecretary of the General Administration Department had designated Sudin Dhavalikar and Vijai Sardesai, leaders of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Goa Forward Party respectively as ‘deputy chief ministers’ with immediate effect.

BJP’s Pramod Sawant was sworn in as the state’s chief minister in a late night development on March 18, after protracted negotiations with the alliance partners, who agreed to come on board after it was assured that they would be made deputy chief ministers.

Responding to the complaint state BJP president Vinay Tendulkar said that the chief minister was well within his powers to madetheappointments. “Letthe Congress file the complaints. The election commission will decide. The Congress too in the past has appointed Deputy Chief Ministers. They have taken oath only as ministers,” Tendulkar said.

Formation of a new government was necessitated in Goa following the death of chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who passed away on March 17 after a prolonged illness.