Sankalp Amonkar joins Goa cabinet after oath ceremony in Dona Paula

Sankalp Amonkar was sworn into Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's Goa cabinet on Saturday, November 7, at Lok Bhavan in Dona Paula. The Mormugao legislator fills the vacancy left by former agriculture minister Ravi Naik.

The Governor administered the oaths of office and secrecy in the presence of Sawant and other ministers. The induction restores the Council of Ministers to its full strength of 12 ahead of Assembly elections expected in early 2027.

Amonkar thanked the BJP's national and state leadership after taking the oath. He said he intended to use the remaining time before the election to carry out whatever work was possible for Goa.

Mormugao legislator's move into government

Sankalp Amonkar entered the Assembly in 2022 on a Congress ticket, defeating the BJP's three-term legislator Milind Naik in Mormugao. The reported winning margin was 1,941 votes.

In September that year, he moved to the BJP along with seven other Congress legislators. Before the switch, he had held roles in the Congress organisation, including its state committee and youth wing.

After joining the BJP, Amonkar was appointed chairman of the state's sewage infrastructure corporation. His cabinet appointment makes him the third former Congress legislator from that group to receive a ministerial position under Sawant.

Earlier changes included the induction of Aleixo Sequeira in place of Nilesh Cabral, followed by Digambar Kamat replacing Sequeira. Ramesh Tawadkar also entered the cabinet after Govind Gaude's removal.

Sawant congratulated Amonkar on his appointment and expressed confidence that his contribution would support the government's development and welfare work. The new minister said the responsibilities assigned to him would guide the work he takes up during the available period.

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