BJP's Ganesh Gaonkar Wins Goa Speaker Election

BJP legislator Ganesh Gaonkar was elected as the speaker of the Goa legislative assembly on Thursday, September 25, 2025, during a special session convened by Governor P Ashok Gajapathi Raju. The session was called to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of former speaker Ramesh Tawadkar, who joined the state cabinet led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant last month.

Gaonkar, a seasoned politician and tribal leader, secured a commanding 32 votes in the 40-member House, defeating his Congress rival, Altone D'Costa, who managed only seven votes. The election, overseen by Deputy Speaker Joshua D'Souza, saw Gaonkar's victory celebrated as Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao escorted him to the speaker’s chair, extending their congratulations.

The ruling BJP, with 28 legislators, was bolstered by the support of two Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs and three Independents, ensuring Gaonkar’s landslide win. The opposition, comprising three Congress MLAs, two from the Aam Aadmi Party, and one each from the Goa Forward Party and Revolutionary Goans Party, rallied behind Quepem MLA D'Costa as their joint candidate, but their efforts fell short.

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This marks Gaonkar’s second stint in the speaker’s chair during the current Sawant-led government. Previously, the 66-year-old two-term MLA served as the pro-tem speaker following the BJP’s victory in the 2022 Goa assembly elections, where he administered oaths to all elected MLAs. Gaonkar’s political journey began with his first election on a BJP ticket from the Sanvordem constituency in 2012. Although he faced a setback in 2017, losing to MGP’s Deepak Pauskar, Gaonkar reclaimed the seat in 2022, solidifying his position as a key BJP figure in the state.

Currently, Gaonkar serves on the House committee addressing the contentious issue of the Mhadei river diversion by neighboring Karnataka, a matter of significant regional importance. His experience as a tribal leader and his longstanding association with the BJP make him a pivotal figure in Goa’s legislative landscape. Gaonkar’s election as speaker is expected to bring stability and leadership to the assembly as it navigates critical regional issues.

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