Team Herald
MAPUSA: Mandrem sarpanch Mahesh Konadkar faced to face embarrassment as he was ousted by a no-confidence motion by 7-4 votes within a week on Monday.
Seven panchas Prashant Naik, Tara Hadfadkar, Mitchell Sharon Amroj Fernandes, Robert Antanas Fernandes, Kiran Sawant, Minguel Fernandes and Amit Sawant voted in favour of the motion while deputy sarpanch Chetna Pednekar, Sampada Ajgaonkar, Rajesh Mandrekar and Konadkar were against the motion.
Konadkar is learnt to be the first sarpanch in the State who has been voted out of office before he could chair the maiden meeting of the newly elected body. He was elected sarpanch unopposed on August 22.
Soon after all 11 panchas were administered oath on August 23, the majority panchas tabled the no-confidence motion against Konadkar, who owed his allegiance to former BJP MLA Dayanand Sopte.
All seven panchas have claimed that they are backed by Mandrem MGP MLA Jit Arolkar.
Arjun Tilve presided over the special meeting of the panchayat.
After his ouster, Konadkar said that the government should amend the Goa Panchayat Raj Act and ensure that the elected sarpanch occupy the post for minimum of three months and stop the musical chair in local bodies.
