Ramesh Tawadkar elected Speaker of Goa Assembly

Panaji, March 29

Former Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, 53, was elected as the Speaker of the Goa legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

Tawadkar defeated his Congress rival Aleixo Sequeira by 24-15 votes.

Tawadkar is a former physical education teacher and served as Goa's Sports and Agriculture Minister from 2012-2017.

On Monday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was administered the oath of office by Governor P.S Sreedharan Pillai along with eight other ministers.

The BJP has won 20 seats in the February 14 polls, just one short of a majority in the 40- member state Assembly. It also has support of five other MLAs -- three independents and two from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party.