BJP MLA from Sankhalim in north Goa, Pramod Sawant, was elected Speaker of the seventh Goa legislative assembly on Wednesday.
When the session began, Mr. Sawant (44), a two-time MLA of BJP was nominated by BJP MLA Glenn Ticlo. He defeated the Congress nominee for the Speaker's post Aleixo Reginaldo, by a margin of 20-15 in the election conducted on the first day of the Goa Assembly Budget session.
Pro-tem Speaker Sidharth Kunkolienkar, a BJP MLA was in the chair.
After assuming office, Mr. Sawant said that he would be impartial in his conduct as Speaker.
"I will be impartial. All will be given equal opportunity. Training classes for old and new MLAs will be conducted. MLAs will be trained to present issues and ask questions," Mr. Sawant said.
NCP MLA Churchill Aleimao who is facing a NCP show-cause notice for supporting the BJP-led government over the confidence vote last week did not participate in the voting.
One each of the Congress and BJP MLAs could not reach in time for the voting, it was clarified by the respective parties.
Congress candidate for Speaker's post Reginaldo Lawrenco could not reach for the voting in the House due to traffic jam, Opposition leader Babu Kavlekar said.
On the ruling benches, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar explained in the House that BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral could not make it to the election as he too was caught in a traffic jam.
