Panaji, Aug 21 : The BJP government in Goa witnessed a major reshuffle, as former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and current Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar were inducted into Pramod Sawant's cabinet on Thursday.

The development comes in the backdrop of Law and Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira stepping down from his post, citing personal reasons.

Ramesh Tawadkar and Digambar Kamat were sworn in as ministers in the Pramod Sawant-led Goa government, with the oath of office and secrecy being administered to them by the Governor Ashok Gajapathi Raju.

The oath ceremony was held at the Raj Bhavan and was attended by CM Pramod Sawant, BJP's Goa unit president Damu Naik and others.

Ramesh Tawadkar, the Speaker of the Goa Assembly, tendered his resignation from the post, hours ahead of his swearing-in as the minister.

This marks the second reshuffle for the BJP government in Goa and comes a year and a half ahead of the Assembly elections 2027.

Digambar Kamat is likely to replace Law and Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira, who resigned from the cabinet on Wednesday.

Both Kamat and Sequeira are former Congressmen who switched over to the BJP in 2022.

Digambar Kamat is the political heavyweight in Goa politics, who has remained undefeated in his decades-long political career and has been winning the Margao constituency for the past 30 years.

The 71-year-old legislator started his journey with the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1989 and also became the Goa Chief Minister from 2007 to 2012.

He was first elected to the Assembly from Margao in 1994 and has represented the constituency several times since. In the 2022 elections, he won from Margao as a Congress nominee but then switched allegiance to the BJP along with seven other MLAs on September 14, 2022.

Ramesh Tawadkar represents the Canacona Assembly constituency. He was first elected to the Assembly in 2005 via a by-election from the Poinguinim seat.

He was elected as the Goa Speaker in March 2022, becoming the first tribal MLA to hold the post in the coastal state. He also served as cabinet minister from April 2012 till January 2017 and handled portfolios including agriculture, animal husbandry and veterinary services, tribal welfare and sports and youth affairs.

Earlier in his resignation letter to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Aleixo Sequeira said that he was taking this decision due to personal reasons.

"I take this opportunity to thank you for allowing me to serve under your leadership. I have tried to perform to the best of my ability in the Department of Law and Judiciary, Environment, Captain of Ports and Legislative Affairs, allotted to me," he said in the letter.

/IANS