Goa Assembly Speaker Resigns to Join State Cabinet

Panaji, Aug 21 (PTI): Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar has stepped down from his position on Thursday in anticipation of his inclusion in Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's cabinet. He, alongside former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, is set to be sworn in as a state cabinet minister at 12 noon at Raj Bhavan. Tawadkar, the 57-year-old MLA representing Canacona, submitted his resignation to State Legislature Secretary Namrata Ulman at the assembly complex earlier in the day. The state cabinet is undergoing a reshuffle with the induction of these two new ministers. A ministerial position became available when Govind Gaude was removed from the cabinet on June 18, and Aleixo Sequeira resigned on Wednesday for personal reasons. Chief Minister Sawant confirmed on Wednesday that both Tawadkar and Kamat would take on roles as ministers. Tawadkar, who became the Assembly Speaker in March 2022 following the BJP's victory in the Goa elections, has been serving in various capacities since being elected to the Assembly in 2007. He has previously held ministerial portfolios covering sports, tribal welfare, and agriculture in BJP-led governments.