8 months ago
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BJP legislator Ganesh Gaonkar was connected Thursday (September 25, 2025) elected talker of the Goa legislative assembly aft securing a bulk ballot during a peculiar league of the House.
Governor P Ashok Gajapathi Raju summoned the peculiar league to elite the caller Speaker, arsenic the station fell vacant past period owed to the resignation of Ramesh Tawadkar, who was inducted into the Pramod Sawant-led authorities cabinet.
Mr. Gaonkar polled 32 votes against his rival Congress campaigner Altone D'Costa, who was supported by lone 7 MLAs.
Deputy Speaker Joshua D'Souza, who chaired the House proceedings, declared 66-year-old Gaonkar arsenic the adjacent Speaker of the legislative Assembly.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao aboriginal escorted the recently elected Speaker to the Chair and congratulated him.
The BJP, which has 28 legislators successful the 40-member House, enjoys the enactment of the 2 MLAs of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and 3 Independents.
The Opposition comprises 3 MLAs of the Congress, 2 of the Aam Aadmi Party and 1 each from the Goa Forward Party and Revolutionary Goans Party.
It had fielded Quepem MLA D'Costa arsenic its associated campaigner for the Speaker's election.
This is the 2nd clip during the existent Sawant-led authorities authorities that Mr. Gaonkar has occupied the speaker's chair.
The two-term legislator was earlier nominated arsenic a pro-tem talker aft the BJP won the 2022 Goa Assembly polls. Mr. Gaonkar had past administered the oath to each MLAs successful the House.
The tribal person was elected connected a BJP summons for the archetypal clip successful 2012 from Sanvordem constituency, but was defeated by his rival Deepak Pauskar of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party successful the 2017 polls from the aforesaid constituency.
Mr. Gaonkar made a comeback successful the 2022 polls from Sanvordem constituency connected the BJP ticket.
In the existent tenure, Mr. Gaonkar is connected the House committee constituted to survey the contented of diversion of the Mhadei stream by neighbouring Karnataka.
