BJP's Patnekar elected as Goa Assembly Speaker

Panaji, June 4 (IANS) BJP MLA Rajesh Patnekar was on Tuesday elected as Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly, defeating Pratapsingh Rane of the Congress by 22-16 votes."I congratulate you on winning election on post of Speaker. Speaker has to be neutral. You will be judged by the decisions of the House," Rane told the media after the special one-day Assembly session. Lone Nationalist Congress Party MLA Churchill Alemao was not present at the time of voting, while Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party MLA Sudin Dhavalikar, who has not withdrawn his support to the BJP-led coalition government despite acute differences, also voted against Patnekar. The election was conducted by Acting Speaker Michael Lobo.The election has been necessitated, after then Speaker Pramod Sawant was appointed Chief Minister in March, following the death of Manohar Parrikar.
--IANS maya/ksk