Panaji: Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar, who switched to the Bharatiya Janata Party from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) on Wednesday, was appointed as the state's new Deputy Chief Minister. Ajgaonkar has become the second deputy chief minister after Vijai Sardesai in the Pramod Sawant government in Goa.

State Joint Secretary (General Administration) Varsha Naik has issued an order which states "government is pleased to designate Vijai Sardesai, minister and Manohar Ajgaonkar, minister as the Deputy Chief Minister with immediate effect." The development comes a day after Sudin Dhavalikar was dropped as the Deputy Chief Minister and two MLAs of MGP merged their party's legislative wing with the BJP. The two MGP legislators were Ajgaonkar and Deepak Pauskar, a legislator from the Sanvordem assembly constituency in South Goa