Panaji, Feb 5 (IANS): Goa BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Tanavade said on Monday that the issue of ‘misappropriation of funds’ raised by Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar against Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude has been resolved.

“Earlier, I had said that it is our family matter. Later, some people criticised me over the issue. Neither is it a happy or unhappy moment for me,” Tanavade said, after holding a meeting of Tawadkar and Gaude at the CM's official residence.

He said that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was also present during the meeting.

“Though they (Tawadkar and Gaude) hold key positions, they have both been elected on party symbols. Hence, being an MLA is the first criteria, then comes the different positions. Some become ministers, some become Speaker. Hence, to defuse this issue, me and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant held a meeting with them and resolved the matter,” he said.

When the Assembly session began on Monday morning, opposition MLAs had raised the issue demanding discussion over the alleged corruption case. However, speaker Tawadkar didn’t allow the discussion.

Leader of opposition Yuri Alemao had demanded a statement from the Chief Minister on the issue, but Sawant said the opposition should write to the right forum.

Opposition parties had also slammed Tanavade for calling the ‘misappropriation of funds’ by his own party minister as ‘family matter’ and had demanded to sack Gaude, holding him responsible for the alleged loot.

Last Friday, Tawadkar had levelled allegations against Art and Culture Minister Gaude over alleged misappropriation of 'special grants'.

Tawadkar, a senior BJP leader from the ST community, had said that he would not tolerate the indiscipline of the minister "who was behaving without any protocol".

"I am witnessing such an incident for the first time where a minister from my government is behaving in an irresponsible manner and not following protocol. I feel sad about this. It should not happen. I will not tolerate it," Tawadkar had said.