PANJIM: The ninth session of the Goa State Legislative Assembly- Budget session on Monday witnessed a number of changes in the seating arrangements of elected representatives due to political changes.
While Laxmikant Parsekar occupied the chair of Leader of the House for the first time, after being elected Chief Minister on November 9, 2014, after resignation of then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, ‘Unattached’ St Cruz MLA Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate was given a separate seat, and shifted from the Opposition benches, after Congress party informed the Speaker of his expulsion from the party for six years and he himself filed an application asking for the change.
The new Panjim MLA Siddharth Kuncolienkar, who replaced the former city MLA Manohar Parriakar, was also present in the House for the first time.
While Kuncolienkar was seated at the chair previously occupied by his colleague Subhash Phal Dessai, Goa Vikas Party MLA Francisco ‘Mickky’ Pacheco was seated amongst the ministers as he was sworn in as cabinet minister for Rural Development during the cabinet re-shuffle in November, last year.
His chair is now occupied by Congress MLA Mauvin Godinho.
Kuncolienkar was elected to the Assembly in the February by-poll after Parrikar resigned to take over the Union Defence Minister.
“The changes in the seating arrangements are made as per the changes in the government. Assembly has a new Chief Minister, a new Minister and a new MLA,” Speaker Rajendra Arlekar told media persons after the morning session.
Amongst the Opposition benches, former minister and Congress MLA Monserrate was shifted to the back row.
“I had got a letter from Congress general secretary Sunil Kawthankar informing me about the expulsion of Monserrate from the party,” Arlekar said. “Even Monserrate had sent a letter to me requesting for separate seating arrangement in the House,” the Speaker added.
In the 40-member Assembly, the ruling BJP-MGP-GVP has a total of 26 seats, while the Opposition is left with only eight, after expulsion of Monserrate.
There are five independent MLAs of which two have backed the government.
