PANJIM: Acting Speaker Michael Lobo on Thursday, said he was not interested in the job of the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly and instead wanted to become the Chief Minister (CM).
“I have got an opportunity to be the acting Speaker but I do not wish to continue as the Speaker. I have told my party that I am not in the race,” Lobo told reporters.
Substantiating his stand, Lobo said, “Being the Speaker you have to be neutral. You cannot take up issues of Goa and Goans. You cannot raise issues that affect the people in the assembly or outside or even with the media”.
He added that instead of him, the senior-most member of the house should be considered for the post. “Let the senior- most member of this House who is due for retirement in the next election, have this position. Let him be happy as he will be able to retire as the Speaker,” added Lobo.
When asked to name the person he wants to see as the next Speaker, he added that ‘it doesn’t work that way’.
“I wanted to be the Chief Minister but the party did not make me one. I still stayed thinking they will make me (the CM) in future,” Lobo reiterated.
Further, The Calangute MLA in a sarcastic tone, said, “If the party forces me to become the Chief Minister I will become so; but if the party forces me to become the Speaker then I don’t want it. Right now I am happy as the Deputy Speaker as I can take up issues.”
On reports that the government wants a new Speaker before the results of by-polls, he said, he has not received any communication from Chief Minister’s office or from anybody.
“I strongly believe that it will be better that Speaker is elected after that when the House has its full strength of 40 MLAs given that the results of four constituencies will be out on May 23,” added Lobo.
