Goa Assembly Speaker Resigns to Join State Cabinet

Panaji, Aug 21 (PTI): Ramesh Tawadkar, the Speaker of Goa’s Assembly, resigned on Thursday in anticipation of his induction into Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's cabinet. The 57-year-old legislator from Canacona submitted his resignation to State Legislature Secretary Namrata Ulman at the assembly complex, as Deputy Speaker Joshua D’Souza was away on a private visit. He, along with former CM Digambar Kamat, is set to join the state cabinet at a ceremony scheduled for 12 noon at Raj Bhavan.

“I aspired to complete my five-year term as Speaker, but the party, BJP, requested me to resign and assume a ministerial role,” Tawadkar told PTI. Despite initial resistance, Tawadkar ultimately conceded to fulfill his party’s request. The cabinet reshuffle, which includes the induction of Tawadkar and Kamat, is slated to occur later in the day. There are presently two vacancies in the cabinet following Govind Gaude's removal on June 18, and Aleixo Sequeira's resignation on Wednesday due to personal reasons.

CM Pramod Sawant had already confirmed Tawadkar and Kamat's appointment as ministers on Wednesday. Tawadkar expressed satisfaction with his tenure as Speaker, emphasizing that he maintained the chair's respect and neutrality. He highlighted his social initiatives, particularly ‘Shram Dham’, which provides free housing for the underprivileged.

Despite the demands of the Speaker's role, Tawadkar devoted significant efforts to public service. He was elected Speaker in March 2022 after the BJP secured victory in the Goa elections. Tawadkar's legislative career dates back to 2007, with past ministerial roles in sports, tribal welfare, and agriculture.