Team Herald

PANJIM: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the lone RG MLA abstaining during the election of the Deputy Speaker made it amply clear that there was disunity and no floor coordination among the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly. More importantly with AAP and RG abstaining, it was advantage BJP

The Congress hit back. GPCC president Amit Patkar in a tweet said Cross-voting during Presidential election reflected today (Friday) during election of Deputy Speaker. A & B Team of @BJP4India stands exposed. After all its AAPkaBJPParivar. Mystery of 3 votes stands solved. @INCGoa

Before the commencement of the session, the Opposition had stated that they will have proper floor coordination and corner the government for its failure on all fronts. But their plans suffered when reports of defection hit the major Opposition party, which had stripped Michael Lobo as leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) and filed a disqualification petition against Lobo and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, before the Speaker.

Mapusa BJP MLA Joshua D’Souza was declared elected as Deputy Speaker by defeating Congress nominee Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo by 24-12 votes. The combined strength of all Opposition is 15 members but AAP and RG MLAs abstained. RG said no one approached them.

During the Presidential election last week, there was cross-voting with three Opposition MLAs cross-voting in favour of NDA-backed Draupadi Murmu.

Soon after Joshua was declared elected Deputy Speaker, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCCC) president Amit Patkar said that A and B team of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stood exposed and cross-voting in the Presidential poll reflected after the result of the election for Deputy Speaker’s post was announced on Friday.

On the other hand, two AAP legislators Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva said that no candidate contesting Deputy Speaker’s election approached them for their support.