Returning to the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) for another term is going to be extremely difficult for the sitting councillors. Not only is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) planning to field a totally new panel for the October 25 elections, but Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai is thinking on the same lines, which is going to make the task of re-election a big ask for the present councillors.
The delimitation of wards has resulted in three wards falling in Curtorim constituency and that has brought Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco to the municipal council scene. As things stand today, Margao is set to witness a major fight on the election front.
In the past, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat’s panel has played a lead role in every election to the MMC. Kamat also had a strong panel in the 2010 election and his sway over the councillors was such that Sushila Naik became the first Chairperson of the Margao municipality to complete a full term in office. Current councillors Damodar Shirodkar, Sushila Naik, Dhananjay Mayenkar, Bindiya Naik, Dorris Texiera, Avinash Shirodkar and Lakshmikant Kamat have been identified as Kamat supporters. Sangita Audi too was once seen to be a Kamat supporter, however, relations soured soon after the council had been installed in 2010.
Fatorda MLA Sardesai too had got his supporters elected to the MMC in the last election. However, most of these have parted ways with the MLA.
That being the background, at the present time there has been no move made by Kamat, the strongman of Margao politics, to form a panel for the coming elections. Nevertheless, his supporters who won last time have announced their decision to re-contest.
Sardesai has admitted that he will be fielding a panel in this MMC election. “Everyone knows how the council has performed in the past term. Excluding Tito Cardozo, all the councillors are political garbage,” Sardesai said. “My panel will essentially include educated and certified candidates and won’t have any old faces in it,” he added.
“Everyone knows how reservations have been done and who are going to benefit from it. I will field such candidates without any prejudice and they will be the ones who will work at the grassroots,” Sardesai said.
The face of the BJP in Margao this election, Rupesh Mahatme, has dismissed the speculation that there is a rift in the Margao BJP and asserted that there will be one united BJP panel in the election. “The party will take a call and decide the panel and all will back this panel and campaign for the candidates,” Mahatme said. Asked whether he will contest from the Malbhat ward, Mahatme merely said, “I will contest this election.”
But sources who have their ear to the ground suggest that there is as strong possibility of a Rupesh Mahatme versus Sharmad Raiturkar fight this election. Elvis Fernandes, from Malbhat, who is a close aide of Raiturkar is being pushed to contest against Mahatme in ward 17. Raiturkar, however, said, “We are united and we will follow the lead given by the party.”
Dhananjay Mayenkar, the present councillor of the ward and Manjusha Kaskar, who has represented this ward in the past are Kamat supporters in this ward that has been the former chief minister’s stronghold. Mayenkar is already gearing up to contest the election and has gathered support in the ward.
Lourenco may have not entered the arena yet, but speaking to Herald he said he holds the key to three wards in his territory. “The three wards of Housing Board and some more part fall in my constituency and it becomes my duty to field candidates who will work for my people. Hence I will support the person who supports my cause. I haven’t formed any panel but will see and support.”
With MLAs Kamat, Sardesai and Lourenco preparing to support candidates and bring down certain sitting councilors, the battle for the MMC has the trappings of a bitter fight that could even lead to several bruised egos.
