Overview

• Former chief minister Digambar Kamat and ex-speaker Ramesh Tawadkar took oath at Raj Bhavan, bringing the council of ministers back to its full strength of 12.
• Aleixo Sequeira resigned from the cabinet a day earlier citing personal reasons, said his health had improved, and affirmed he remains with the BJP.
• Ramesh Tawadkar quit as Speaker hours before the ceremony, saying he accepted the party’s request to join the cabinet.
• The two vacancies arose from Sequeira’s exit and the June 18 removal of Govind Gaude after he publicly levelled corruption allegations against the Tribal Welfare Department.
• Kamat returns to ministerial office after 13 years; he and Sequeira were among eight MLAs who defected from Congress to the BJP in 2022, and Kamat was discharged from an illegal mining case earlier this year while he continues to face trial in the Louis Berger bribery case.