Goa by-polls: Newly elected MLAs to take oath on Tuesday

Goa assembly speaker Michael Lobo said that the four newly-elected MLAs in Goa would be administered the oath of office on Tuesday. The bypoll elections were held at Panaji, Mapusa, Shiroda, and Mandrem assembly seats.

Panaji: The four newly-elected MLAs in Goa would be sworn-in on Tuesday, state Assembly Speaker Michael Lobo said.

In the recent by-polls held in four seats of the state, BJP's Subhash Shirodkar, Dayanand Sopte and Joshua D'Souza won from Shiroda, Mandrem and Mapusa, respectively, while Congress nominee Atanasio Monserrate emerged victorious in Panaji.

All of them will be administered the oath of office in the Assembly complex at 11 am on Tuesday, Lobo added.

The Panaji Assembly by-poll was necessitated due to the death of sitting BJP MLA and former chief minister Manohar Parrikar in March, while the death of sitting BJP MLA Francis D'Souza necessitated the by-poll in Mapusa.

The by-polls in Shiroda and Mandrem became necessary following the resignation of their sitting Congress MLAs.

Following the declaration of the by-poll results last week, the BJP is now the single largest party with 17 MLAs in the 40-member Assembly, followed by the Congress which has 15 legislators.

Besides, the House has three MLAs of the Goa Forward Party, three Independents and one legislator each of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the NCP.