lBhavana Bhosle polled 13 votes lJerry Fernandes elected unopposed lElection was by secret ballot
TEAM HERALD
VASCO: Bhavana Bhosle and Jerry Fernandes were on Friday elected as chairperson and vice chairperson respectively of Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC).
It may be recalled that the posts of chairperson and vice chairperson had fallen vacant after chairperson Tara Kerkar and vice chairperson Saifullha Khan were voted out of office in a no-confidence motion on Monday.
Presiding officer L R Pereira, additional Director of Panchayat, had received two nominations from Sunita Landez and Bhavana Bhosle for the post of the chairperson and one nomination from Jerry Fernandes for the post of vice chairman.
As only one nomination was filed for the post of vice chairman, Fernandes was declared elected unopposed as vice chairman, while the election to the post of chairperson was held by secret ballot, where Bhosle polled 13 votes and Landez polled seven.
Speaking to the media, Bhosle said her priority would be to try and finish the incomplete pre-monsoon works.
“As there is a BJP government in the State, I will be able to carry out repairs of footpaths, gutters, drains and take up other developmental works,” she said.
When it was brought to her notice that no developmental work was carried out in the port town in the last two years except for the beautification in front of MMC building by a city-based industrialist, Bhosle said with BJP government at the Centre, MMC will get Central government funds to carry out repair of footpaths, gutters, drains and other developmental works in the port town.
When she was informed that the Central fund is not directly allotted to the council but directed through the State Urban Development Ministry, Bhosle stated that since both the Lok Sabha seats are bagged by BJP, North Goa MP Shripad Naik and South Goa MP Dr Narendra Savaikar will help her to get necessary funds towards development of the port town.
Meanwhile, Fernandes told Herald that as monsoon is round the corner, there is not time to waste. “Whatever period is allotted to me, I will do my best to carry out developmental works in all the wards and in the city with the cooperation of all the councillors and with the help of Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida and Power and Information and Publicity Minister Milind Naik,” said Fernandes.
