MUMBAI: At 1.48 am, a minute after the national anthem was played in Goa’s Raj Bhavan, Dr. Pramod Sawant took oath as its chief minister. The 45-year-old MLA from Sanquelim constituency took charge of the office hours after his predecessor, Manohar Parrikar final rites were conducted with full state honours.

A two-time MLA who started as a karyakarta, Sawant steadily rose in rank and profile. While he has no political lineage, he is considered to have the backing of the RSS. His closeness to RSS was cited as one of the reasons why the allies (Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward Party) and the three independents refused to extend support during the initial negotiations, sources say.

Sawant is a Ayurvedic medicine practitioner. His wife Sulakshana Sawant is the President of Goa Mahila Morcha.

The formal bugle of the BJP staking claiming was sounded around midnight with Union minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari arriving at the Raj Bhavan followed by the entourage of the to-be-sworn in leaders making their way inside the Raj Bhavan. “We have the letter of support to form the government and we are submitting the same to the Governor,” Gadkari said while leaving hotel Cidade De Goa where he had been camping since Sunday. The hotel is hardly a few kilometres from Raj Bhavan.

Minutes after the swearing-in, Sawant told reporters that he will try his best to meet the expectations. “I don’t know if I will be able to fill in the shoes of Manohar Parrikar, he was a very tall leader …It is a very big responsibility that the party has given me. I will try my best to fulfill it. I am what I am today because of Manohar Parrikar," Pramod Sawant told reporters

Along with Sawant, 11 others were sworn in by Governor Mridula Sinha as cabinet ministers. This included MGP’s Sudin Dhavalikar and GFP’s Vijai Sardesai. Both, sources say will be Deputy CMs.

While earlier in the day, there were reports of two of the MGP’s MLAs defecting to join BJP but after the swearing-in, BJP clarified that MGP is an ally and no leaders had defected.

“They are our ally and they haven’t defected and joined BJP,” BJP South Goa MP, Narendra Sawaikar told ET.

The swearing was preceded by much drama with the allies holding talks first with Gadkari and later with BJP President Amit Shah who took over the negotiation minutes after former CM Manohar Parrikar final rites were performed at Miramar beach.

On Sunday night, the action which was centred at Sardesai’s residence; quickly moved to hotel Cidade de Goa in Dona Paula were Gadkari and later Shah held talks with the allies.

In the afternoon, Congress leader Chandrakant Kavlekar visited Raj Bhavan to stake claim to form the government asserting that they were the single largest party, however he told the reporters that they were turned away.

On Monday morning, BJP which had 12 seats was eight seats short to form the government. While the GFP extended its support by noon with Sardesai being offered the Deputy Chief Minister berth, it was the MGP that kept the BJP guessing.

“Nine MLAs ( three each from Goa Forward, MGP and Independents) were in a huddle since Sunday night and were conducting negotiations at Sardesai’s residence . All of them met Nitin Gadkari and returned around 5:30 am on Monday. Sawant’s name was put forward. However they rejected Sawant’s candidature citing his closeness to RSS,” said a source privy to the development told ET.

Then later in the day MGP passed a resolution seeking following demands - All three MLAs have to be given cabinet position. Three corporations have to be given to MGP. However by evening there were reports of – Manohar Azgaonkar and Deepak Pauskar deflected leaving Dhavalikar in a non-negotiating spot.

By night after Dhavalikar met Gadkari over dinner, the former was promised Deputy CM post and a cabinet berth for Azgaonkar. Azgaonkar was also sworn post 2am.

The others who were sworn in included-Rohan Khaunte (independent ) Govind Gawde ( independent ),Vinod Palyeinkar ( GFP), Jayesh Salgaonkar (GFP), Maubin Goudinho ( BJP), Vishwajeet Rane (BJP, Milind Naik (BJP), Nilesh Cabral ( BJP)