the goan I network
PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant may abort his bid to hold a brief session of the Goa legislative assembly to elect a new Speaker, apparently aimed at beating a possible change in the arithmetic of the House after the four bye-poll results, after his own ally Goa Forward Party dithered.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai, who heads the three-member GFP, told the media in Margao that reports of a special session to hold the Speaker’s election before poll results was not factual and speculative.
Sardesai said he and his two colleagues - Cabinet Ministers Vinoda Palyenkar and Jayesh Salgaonkar - will be out of station on holiday until the result day on May 23.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress also voiced strong objections to the move saying any election to the Speaker’s post should be held only after the results on May 23 and by a full House.
At a joint press conference, both Opposition Leader Chandrakant Kavlekar and Congress State president Girish President were furious over the reported move and said Governor Mridula Sinha should reject the idea if a proposal is in fact moved by the Government.
Kavlekar and Chodankar said the Congress will be forced to take to the streets and petition the President of India in the event Sinha acts biased and accepts the government’s proposal.
The Chief Minister however denied there was any concrete proposal from the government and claimed a decision on Speaker’s election can be taken only after consultations with alliance partners and the supporting Independent MLAs.
Sawant said, the issue of holding a special session to conduct the Speaker’s election has not even been discussed formally at the government level.
On Wednesday, however, reports that the Sawant-led coalition government is preparing to hold a special session to take up the sole business of electing a new Speaker, with BJP’s Bicholim MLA Rajesh Patnekar a front-runner for the post, raised the hackles in political circles.
The Speaker is a Constitutional post and a crucial cog in ensuring stability of the government or for any regime change should the results of the bye-elections alter the arithmetic of the House. It is currently vacant after Sawant, who held it earlier, was elevated as Chief Minister after the death of his predecessor Manohar Parrikar. Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo currently holds the office.The Congress has 14 and is currently backed by Sudin Dhavlikar of MGP. NCP’s Churchill Alemao, although supported the Opposition in Sawant’s confidence vote is upset with the Congress for cold-shouldering him at the Lok Sabha and Assembly bye-polls.
In the current, truncated House of 36, the ruling coalition enjoys the support of 20 MLAs - BJP (14), Goa Forward Party (3) and
Independents (3).
