Team Herald
MARGAO: The BJP may have taken 10 MLAs of Congress en masse to form a majority government, but the formation of a Municipality in Margao is becoming impossible for the ruling BJP even with the help of the opposition Congress supported councillors.
The BJP supported councillors of Margao Municipal Council (MMC) have taken the help of Congress supported councillors of Margao and have planned the coupe to remove Chairperson Babita Angle and hence overthrow the power of Fatorda Forward alias Goa Forward Party. However, two of the councillors from the group of BJP/Congress seem to be not cooperating with the group.
It may be recalled that since Fatorda Forward had maximum number of Councillors they were given the Chairperson’s post (reserved for women) and Model Margao of Congress backing was given Vice Chairperson’s post. Later after Goa Forward formed alliance with the BJP the Congress alliance in MMC too was over and the Vice Chairperson too belonged to Fatorda Forward.
Now, the BJP Councillors along with that of Opposition Congress supported councillors have prepared to pull down the Fatorda/Goa Forward Chairperson. The issue is the installation of the statue of Dr Jack Sequeira, the Father of Goa’s Opinion Poll. The group which is gunning for the post of the Chairperson has alleged that the Council administration has not followed proper procedure for the same and has given 48 hours to correct the mistakes.
However, pulling down Chairperson Babita Angle, sources suggest, is not going to be easy for the
group. Sources said that the Councillors were supposed to file a no-confidence motion on Monday. However, a senior councillor from the BJP/Congress group has second thoughts and has reportedly not given support to the group. It is being said that the Councillor decided not to support as he has received help from Goa Forward leaders in the past.
Another Councillor of BJP is reportedly being pressured by some of the Margao BJP leaders not to side with the group due to his allegiance with the Goa Forward leader.
While Chairperson Babita Angle said that she has sent her resignation to the authorities, one of the BJP Councillors said that this announcement of having given resignation may be a repeat of her statement of resigning on October 2. “Our deadline of 48 hours ends on Tuesday and we will decide the further line of action after that,” he said.
