BJP MLA Rajesh Patnekar new Speaker of Goa Assembly

BJP MLA Rajesh Patnekar was elected as the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. The post of the Speaker was lying vacant since Pramod Sawant resigned from the post to take over as the chief minister of the state.

Panaji: BJP MLA from Bicholim, Rajesh Patnekar, was elected as the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly in a special session of the House. He defeated his Congress rival Pratapsinh Rane.

The post of the Speaker was lying vacant since Pramod Sawant resigned from the chair to take over as the chief minister of the state in the wake of the death of his predecessor Manohar Parrikar in March this year.

The special session has been called by Goa Governor Mridula Sinha to elect the new Speaker.

Patnekar, who was a candidate of the NDA, polled 22 votes while Rane got only 16 votes in the 40-member House.