from daijiworld's special correspondent

Panaji, Jun 15: Former chief minister Pratapsingh Rane was on Friday elected speaker of Goa legislative assembly unopposed.

In the election, pro tem speaker Alexio Sequiera declared Congress-led combine’s candidate Rane as the speaker of legislative assembly.

The main opposition BJP withdrew nomination of its candidate Laxmikant Parsekar a little while before the election.

Interestingly, third independent candidate, Anil salgaoncar, who had filed nomination backed by two BJP legislators, also withdrew his nomination paving way for Rane to be the speaker.

Former chief minister Rane is the longest serving member of legislative assembly and was elected on congress ticket from poriem constituency.

"I am pleased to have senior person like Rane as speaker of the legislative assembly,” Goa chief minister Digamber Kamat commented on the floor of the house after the elections.

Leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar, in his brief speech on the floor, assured all the support from the opposition benches to the speaker. PTI RPS.

More Assembly News

from daijiworld's special correspondent

Tight-rope Walk for the New CM

It is surely not a cakewalk for the newly inducted Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat who has tougher issues to handle in this tiny state on the western coast.

Beginning with the controversial regional plan 2011 to the crucial issue pertaining to sale of land to foreigners, the 54-year-old politician will have to deal with many a challenge ahead.

The biggest of these challenges would undoubtedly be to keep together his own partymen and the allies.

Goa, which saw controversial regional plan 2011, which was later scrapped now awaits another regional plan though the Congress in its election manifesto, had assured "scientific regional plan," the science graduate chief minister, now has to produce one.

Goa, with 105km-long coastline, also is grappling with the issue of foreigners buying huge chunks of land in the state.

Finding a foreigner's bungalow along the seashore is not an unusual sight for Goans, who were not happy at foreigners land purchase deals in 2006. The state government, through its reply on the floor of the house, admitted 400-odd deals, which were in violation of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

What followed it was the usual blame game with state government pointing out that it was the responsibility of Reserve Bank of India to monitor the dealings.

Though the state registration department has become more vigilant after that, the permanent solution to tackle the problem is a task ahead of new CM.

Sandwiched between sea, Maharashtra and Karnataka, Goa is also getting stressed out with increasing migration. An unofficial figure reveals that 14-lac populated state has four lac migrants.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had vehemently opposed setting of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the state with the fear that these zones would invite more Goan population in the estate with limited resources. Goa cannot take additional pressure, the party said.

Amongst the several other issues, one thing that will continue dominating chief minister's agenda will be international airport at Mopa. Former Chief Minister Pratap Singh Rane would not resolve the issue, it is left upto Kamat to get it sorted out.

Mopa, a remote village in extreme North Goa, is a choice of new international airport. However, many, including former Congress MP Churchill Alemao, have put up strong opposition to the airport, contending that the airport will kill south Goa's tourism. He favours upgradation of the existing Dabolim airport.

Congress party appears to be simmering with squabbles among various factions after the June two polls. It was a fight between former chief minister Pratap Singh Rane and Congress' Goa chief Ravi Naik, that pushed Kamat into the chair when he emerged as a 'consensus' candidate.

Also, tougher is the task to keep all the alliance partner happy including NCP and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak party (MGP). Besides, there are two independents including Vishwajeet, son of former Goa Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane.

All MLAs Take Oath

Panaji: All the 40 members of Goa state legislative assembly  took oath of secrecy during the special session called by Govenor S C Jamir, on Friday afternoon.

Pro-tem speaker Aleixo Sequiera administered oath to all the members beginning from chief minister Digamber Kamat.

The session which began at 2.30 pm had all the members present for it.

June Two Goa polls had Congress-led alliance garnering majority seats and government led by Kamat is already sworn in by the governor.

The election for the post of speaker would be held during later part of the day.