Goa Chief Minister Confirms Removal of Minister Govind Gaude from Cabinet

Cabinet Changes in Goa

On Thursday, Goa's Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that the decision to remove Arts and Culture Minister Govind Gaude from the state cabinet was his own. However, he did not disclose the reasons behind this decision.

While speaking to reporters outside the 'Secretariat' (the state government's office), Sawant dismissed the possibility of any cabinet reshuffle at this time. Gaude was removed from the cabinet on Wednesday.

Approximately a month ago, Gaude had accused the Tribal Welfare Department, which is overseen by Sawant, of corruption. When asked about Gaude's removal, the Chief Minister stated, 'This was my decision.'

In response to inquiries about potential cabinet changes, he remarked, 'Nothing is planned at the moment.' Sawant assured that he would inform the media whenever there are any changes in the cabinet.

During a state-level event on May 26, Gaude criticized the Tribal Welfare Department, labeling it ineffective and alleging that its officials were accepting bribes for signing documents.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly condemned Gaude's statements and warned him of possible action. Based on Gaude's allegations, the Congress party urged Governor P.S. Sridharan Pillai to dismiss the state government for 'widespread corruption.'

Gaude, a 53-year-old tribal leader, represents Priol in North Goa as a BJP MLA. He took the oath of office as a minister in March 2022 after the BJP's victory in the state assembly elections and had previously served in Sawant's government from 2019 to 2022.