Parsekar prefers Mauvin over Rane and Digambar for Pro Tem
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 11 January 2016 19:20 IST
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has protected Congress legislator Mauvin Godinho very well by making him the Pro Tem speaker for tomorrow’s election of the speaker, so he need not vote.
BJP’s Anant Shet will cross swords with Congressman Alex Reginald Lourenco tomorrow.
Shet resigned as the deputy speaker today to contest tomorrow’s speaker’s election.
Later, on the recommendation of Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Governor Mridula Sinha appointed Mauvin as the Pro Tem Speaker.
As per the normal precedent, the seniormost member of the House is appointed as the Pro Tem speaker.
While confirming this, Legislature Secretariat sources told goanews.com that the post could thus have gone to opposition leader Pratapsing Rane or Digambar Kamat, both Congressmen.
Mauvin was third in the line, but CM Parsekar, using his discretionary powers, appointed him as the Pro Tem speaker.
It is a known fact that though in the Congress, Mauvin is already in the BJP camp for all the practical purposes.
Congress legislators tell that he does not even attend the Congress Legislature Party meetings.
As there is no possibility of a tie at the voting, Mauvin need not go for casting vote and display his loyalty openly with the BJP on the floor of the House.
Secondly, even if he had voted for Shet openly, he could have not been penalised since the Congress has not even bothered to issue a whip, the Congress sources disclose.
It’s certain that Shet would poll 26 votes, which include 21 of the BJP, 3 of the MGP and 2 Independents from Salcete – fisheries minister Avertano Furtado and Velip MLA Benjamin Silva.
On the other side, Lourenco would definitely poll 10 votes – 7 of the Congress and three independents – Vijai Sardesai, Rohan Khaunte and Naresh Sawal.
It needs to be seen whom unattached member Babush Monseratte as well as Goa Vikas Party’s Mickky Pacheco and Caitu Silva vote.
