MARGAO: Raymond D’Souza, who was one of the seven Cuncolim Municipal Council (CMC) councillors to move a No-confidence notice (NC) against Chairperson Laxman Naik has written to the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) stating that he was withdrawing his signature from the NC.
In his letter, D’souza stated that he has withdrawn his consent for moving the NC against the Chairperson.
With this move, it is unlikely that the NC will get passed as the strength of the CMC is 14, and the opposition group does not enjoy the majority now.
This is being seen as a blow to the five councillors of the BJP panel, who had managed to get D’Souza and former Goa Forward Party (GFP) councillor Uddesh Dessai to sign the NC. On the other hand, it appears that Congress is trying to get D’Souza, who was part of the Congress group of councillors who form the ruling majority, back into their fold. At the time of municipal elections, the strength of the Congress group was nine but Dessai had quit the group and joined GFP reducing their strength to eight. The Congress group is waiting on the DMA to convene a meeting to decide on the NC.
