CURCHOREM: Vishwas Pandu Sawant, councillor from Ghotmorad Ward and Curchorem BJP Mandal President, after a high-drama, was finally elected as the chairperson of Curchorem-Cacora Municipal Council (CCMC) by 9-6 votes during the election held, on Thursday.
In a 15-member council, nine councillors voted in favour of Sawant while Mangaldas Arjun Ghadi, secured six votes in the election held for the post of chairperson.
Earlier, Presiding Officer Johnson Fernandes, director of Settlement and Land Records gave 15 minutes time to withdraw the nominations.
After Pramod Damu Naik withdrew his nomination, the election was conducted by secret ballot papers and later after counting the ballots, Fernandes declared the results in the presence of CCMC Chief Officer Ajay Gaude.
Subsequently, the newly elected Chairperson Sawant along with other eight councillors met local MLA and Power Minister Nilesh Cabral in his office at Curchorem, where the latter offered him flower boutique and congratulated the councillors and asked them to work in the interest of the people and cooperate for the development of Curchorem town.
Speaking to the media persons, Cabral said that the Opposition councillors tried to bring many obstacles in the process of election but they have not been succeeded.
“I will cooperate with the councillors to undertake developmental activities in their respective wards,” he said. When asked to clarify about his attendance to all the council’s meeting and interfering in CCMC’s functioning, he replied in affirmative that he is not interfering in the municipal council’s matters.
“I am attending the meetings on the invitations of chairperson/chief officer and not in my personal capacity but as a representative of the people and not to interfere in their matters but to know their ideas/vision for the betterment of the people and can plan accordingly to undertake the developmental activities with the cooperation of the government,” said Cabral.
The chairperson post was vacant after Balkrishna (Pinty) Uttam Sinai Hodarkar was dropped in a no confidence motion passed against him by 9-6 votes.
