BJP MLA Rajesh Patnekar was Tuesday elected as Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly in a special session of the House.
He defeated his Congress rival Pratapsinh Rane.
The post of Speaker was lying vacant since Pramod Sawant resigned to take over as chief minister of the state in the wake of the death of his predecessor Manohar Parrikar in March this year.
The special session has been called by Goa Governor Mridula Sinha to elect the new Speaker.
Patnekar, who was a candidate of the NDA, polled 22 votes while Rane only 16 votes in the 40-member House.