Bharatiya Janata Party Goa Lawmaker Micheal Lobo on Saturday resigned from Deputy Speaker on the backdrop of reports suggesting him to be inducted in the State Cabinet. Micheal Lobo submitted his resignation to Goa Assembly Speaker Rajesh Patnekar.
In a letter to Assembly Speaker, Michael Lobo stated, ‘I Micheal Lobo, Deputy Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, hereby tender my resignation as Deputy Speaker of Goa with effect from today July 13′.
While earlier in the day, Lobo confirmed that he will be a part of State Cabinet led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Micheal Lobo along with other 3 Congress Defectors are expected to take oath at 3 pm today.
Micheal Lobo’s induction in the state cabinet is on cards for months. Speaking at Lobo’s birthday celebration last month, Chief Minister Sawant said Lobo will be given a bigger responsibility soon.
While early in the day, CM Pramod Sawant asked 4 Ministers – 3 from Goa Forward Party and One from Independent – to step down from the post in a bid to accommodate the Congress Defectors.
Sawant told the ANI that he has sought resignation of GFP Ministers Vijay Sardesai, Jayesh Salgaonkar and Vinod Palekar. While one Independent legislator has also been asked to step down.
Among those who are Top Contenders for the Cabinet Berth include Chandrakant Kavlekar, Babush Monserrate and Philip Neri Rodrigues. All three are former Congress legislators who joined BJP along with 7 others two days back. While from the BJP, the name of Goa Deputy Speaker Micheal Lobo has been finalized.
The Cabinet Expansion is expected days after, 10 out of its 15 Congress MLAs in Goa shifted loyalties and merged with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Following the merger episode, Congress is now left with just 5 MLAs in the state where it was the single largest party after 2017 Assembly polls. While Bharatiya Janata Party has now 27 MLAs in 40-member Assembly.
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