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MAPUSA
BJP Sankhali MLA Pramod Sawant on Wednesday was elected as the Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly, after defeating Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco of the Congress by 20-15 votes.
After the pro-tem speaker Sidharth Kuncalienker called for the election, four separate motions were moved supporting Sawant’s nomination as the Speaker. The Congress MLAs too moved three motions supporting Reginaldo’s nomination.
While 20 MLAs in the ruling (BJP, MGP, GF and independents) voted for Sawant, Reginaldo secured 15 votes. However, NCP MLA Churchill MLA did not support any of the candidates.
Interestingly, Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral and Curtorim MLA Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco reached the House late.
Congratulating Sawant on being elected as the Speaker, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said, “You have the seen the working of the House for the last five years and also actively participated in it. I assure you all the required support from the elected MLAs.”
Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavalekar too congratulated Sawant and said, “You have placed several questions before the House in the last five years. I am hopeful that you would perform your job impartially and provide equal opportunity to everyone.”
Pramod Sawant however said that he would work impartially as the Speaker.
“I would be impartial in performing my duties. Everyone will be given equal opportunity. 80 per cent of the members are more experienced than me and senior also. I am certain that this experience would be helpful for me. Training classes would also be conducted for the newly elected members on the proceedings of the House”, said Sawant
What if I get a ministry? I have no info on deputy speaker: Lobo
MAPUSA: Expecting nothing short of a cabinet berth, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo on Wednesday evening appeared upset and hurt with the “news” doing the round that the party had suggested his name for the post of deputy speaker.
“It’s news to me. I have not been officially told. I have still not filed my nomination to the post of deputy speaker,” Lobo said. “What if I get a ministry? How will I then file my nomination for deputy speaker,” he said further and appeared rattled with the party’s decision.
Just a week back, the Calangute MLA was in the thick of things during the government formation in the State.
“Lobo was very much an important cog in the wheel to persuade and bring Goa Forward’s senior leader, Vijay Sardessai, on BJP’s negotiating table during the government formation,” an MLA’s close aide said.
Many of the MLA’s workers and supporters appeared agitated with the move to nominate him as the deputy speaker.
Clearly indicating his priority, Lobo told The Goan that people of Goa wanted him to be a minister in the government.
“People of Goa want me as a minister. People not only from my constituency but also from other places in the State want me to be a minister,” he said, adding that the party and the chief minister also knew it.
“The messages on my Facebook page are a clear indication. The party reads the messages. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar also reads it,” he said.
He, however, admitted the possibility that he may have to consider the post if the party decided to propose his name.
“If the party wants me to take up the post, then I may have to take it. Let’s see…” he said.
Boycott Guv’s speech? CLP
to take a call before session
PANAJI: Congress Legislative Party has convened a meeting on Thursday under the Leader of Opposition Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavalekar prior to the session of the Goa Legislative Assembly to finalise its decision of boycotting the Governor’s customary address scheduled to begin at 11.30 am.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Luizinho Faleiro and Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco confirmed that the agenda of the urgent CLP meeting convened before the Assembly session would be to consult all 16 sitting Congress MLAs for their opinion on the plan to boycott the Governor’s address as well as to decide the party’s nominee for the post of deputy speaker.
Though Congress MLAs remained tight-lipped over the reason for boycotting the address, sources from within the party informed that the move is being mulled over as a form of protest against the Governor’s failure to honour the time-tested tradition of extending the first invitation to the single largest party to form the government following the declaration of election results.
