Senior Congress leader Digambar Kamat, who was sworn-in as Goa's new chief minister on Friday morning, brings with him a wealth of experience as an administrator and an astute politician, a major part of whose career was in Bharatiya Janata Party.
The 54-year-old real estate developer, who joined Congress two years ago, after quitting the saffron party, played a key role in engineering the downfall of the Manohar Parikkar-led BJP government in 2005.
Born on March 8, 1954, Kamat, a science graduate, earned the image of an efficient administrator when he was the state power minister for three consecutive terms.
He not only managed to turn the state electricity board into a profit-making entity at a time when such bodies in other states were saddled with huge losses, but is also credited with the development of his constituency, Margao.
Besides power, Kamat also headed portfolios like urban development and mines, town and country planning.
Kamat's skill as a politician was evident when he became the deputy CM in the BJP government and then engineered its downfall by triggering revolt among BJP allies.
Realising that neither BJP nor Congress has been able to form government on its own in the state for more than ten years, Kamat has cultivated his relationship with smaller parties.
As a result, he is reported to have got the backing of Maharashtra Gomantak Party in the race for chief ministership this time when Congress was mired in divergence of opinion as to who among former CM Pratapsinh Rane and GPCC chief Ravi Naik should be its legislature party leader.
Kamat had the last laugh as the dark horse as factional feud in Congress saw Rane and Naik falling by the wayside in the race for the top post.
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