Goa speaker issues notice to Ajgaonkar and Pawaskar

Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Rajesh Patnekar Tuesday issued notices to deputy chief minister Manohar Ajgaonkar and PWD minister Deepak Pawaskar on adisqualification petition filed against them by their former MGP colleague Sudin Dhavlikar for joining the ruling BJP.

A petition seeking disqualification of Ajgaonkar and Pawaskar under anti-defection law was filed on May 3, days after they left their parent organisation, the Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP), and joined the ruling party.

While both of them were inducted into the Pramod Sawant-led government, Dhavalikar, who was deputy chief minister, was dropped.

The speaker said he had asked Ajgaonkar and Pawaskar to remain present before him on July 1.

"The petitioner Dhavalikar has also been issued a notice to remain present on the same day (July 1)," the speaker said, adding that he will hear all the parties in the disqualificationpetition.

The MGP, which extended its support to the alliance government after the 2017 assembly elections, continues to be part of the government till date.