Governor summons Asembly on June 15

Panaji, June 12 (UNI) Goa Governor S C Jamir has summoned the State Legislative Assembly to meet on June 15.

Protem Speaker Alexeio Sequeria would administer the oath of office and secrecy to the newly-elected members of the House.

The new Speaker and Deputy Speaker are also likely to be elected.

Senior politician and seven-time chief minister Pratapsinh Rane is likely to be elected as the Speaker unanimously, while another Congress member is also likely to be elected as the Deputy Speaker of the 5th Legislative Assembly.

In a fractured mandate, the Goa electorate elected 16 members of the Congress, three of NCP, two each of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Save Goa Front and independents, United Goans Democratic party (1) and BJP (14) to the 40-member House.

Digambar Kamat, who as power minister and played a key role in the ouster of BJP government led by Manohar Parrikar in early 2005 and joined Congress-led Pratapsinh Rane government later, was sworn in as the chief minister of Goa on June 8.

GPCC president Ravi S Naik, MGP leader Ramakrishna (Sudin) Dhavlikar and Jose Philip D'Souza (NCP) were also administered the oath of office and secrecy as ministers in the new Cabinet.

The Chief Minister is expected to expand the Cabinet immediately after the swearing in of the legislators with the chief minister getting the green signal from party supremo Sonia Gandhi today during his interaction in Delhi.

The size of the Cabinet should not exceed 12, including the chief minister under the norms. It would be a difficult exercise for the chief minister to appease all sections, with even the NCP demanding ministerial berth for all its three legislators.

UNI