Panaji, June 14: Narhari Haldankar of ruling BJP was today elected deputy speaker of the newly-constituted Goa legislative assembly, amidst a protest walkout by opposition Congress members.
Haldankar was declared elected by speaker Vishwas Satarkar, defeating the opposition Congress candidate Victoria Fernandes.
Soon after the house assembled for the day, the Speaker said that the secretariat had received the nomination papers from Haldankar and Fernandes for the post of deputy speaker.
First the house took up the motion moved by Agnelo Fernandes (Congress) proposing the name of Victoria Fernandes. After a brief discussion on the motion the Speaker put it to vote by voice vote and declared that it was defeated.
However, the opposition Congress member Dayanand Narvekar said that he had asked for a division. Dissatisfied by the ruling of the Speaker the entire Congress group, led by leader of opposition Pratapsing Rane, then staged a walkout.
The Congress member insisted that he had asked for division, while the Speaker said that he had not asked for it and maintained his ruling.
Next, the motion proposing the name of Haldankar was put to vote by voice vote and he was declared elected to the post.
The chief minister Manohar Parrikar then escorted him to his seat. Haldankar's name was proposed by Rajendra Arlekar of BJP.
Bureau Report