Cong claims govt wants session on May 20 to elect Speaker

PANJIM: Congress on Wednesday claimed that the State government intends to hold a one-day session of the State Legislative Assembly on May 20 to elect a new Speaker. 

Addressing media persons, Leader of the Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said the party has learnt from reliable sources that the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) has moved a file to Goa Governor Dr Mridula Sinha requesting that a session be summoned on May 20. 

The CMO has, however, denied any such move. “We have not moved any proposal to hold a session on May 20,” the CMO clarified. It added that there is no possibility of holding an Assembly session before May 23, when the results of Lok Sabha and four by-elections would be declared. 

Earlier speaking, Kavlekar questioned the urgency in holding an Assembly session on May 20, three days before the election results are to be announced. “The move is a clear indication that BJP has accepted their defeat in the four by-elections. BJP is well aware that post May 23, they will not be in chair and have no MLA strength to elect a Speaker,” he said.

Kavlekar said that the election of a Speaker can take place during the monsoon session of the State Assembly in June. 

On April 23, by-polls were held in Mandrem, Shiroda and Mapusa while on by-poll in Panjim is scheduled on May 19. 

Congress has urged the Governor not to entertain such a proposal and any attempt to summon the session, would be objected to by the party using legal course. “I would like to request the Governor not to act as a protector of BJP but act as a protector of the Constitution,” Kavlekar said, recalling how the Governor in the past had disallowed requests from the Congress to call for a day-long session to prove their majority on the floor of the House and also to discuss issues concerning the State. 

Later, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar threatened to launch a state-wide agitation against the Governor, if she fails to adhere to Constitution. 

“Governor should stop acting as an office bearer of the BJP. She has failed to defend the Constitution, every time it was attacked by the ruling (side). Hence, we request the Governor to adhere to Constitution this time,” Chodankar said. 

Chodankar said that if the Governor fails to respect the sentiments of the Opposition, then the party will write to President Ram Nath Kovind demanding that the Governor be recalled. 

Chodankar said the party will not allow an Assembly session to take place in the absence of a full House. “Why is there need to elect a Speaker when there are only 36 MLAs? Why can’t the government wait for full 40-member House? What is the emergency? Let Chief Minister reply,” he said.