Cong appears set for 2nd round of battle in Margao

MARGAO, NOV 8
Though the Congress has literally swept polls for the Margao civic body, divisions within the group seems to have now come to the fore.
The meeting of councillors-elect from the Margao area of the civic body with Chief Minister Digambar Kamat is a case in point. Though the Congress has won all the 11 seats at stake, only 10 Councillors-elect attended the meeting with the chief minister, while Youth Congress vice president and Councillor-elect Pratima Coutinho was conspicuous by her absence.
If Pratima’s husband and MMC Chairperson Savio Coutinho is to be believed, his wife was not invited for the meeting with the chief minister and learnt of the meet only through the newspapers. “I came to know of the Sunday meeting only through the newspapers. There was no question of Pratima not attending the meeting,” Savio said.
He, however, said that it is immaterial whether Pratima had attended the meeting or not and added that she will play a constructive role in the development of the city. “The people of Margao have given us a mandate against all odds to do something for them and the city. We will work as per the aspirations of the citizens,” Savio said, adding “may be it was a meeting of Councilors-elect whom the Chief Minister had backed during the polls.”
Incidentally, GPCC general secretary Vijay Sardessai and his five-member group has given  up claims for any position of power in the city, but questions are raised whether there can be stability without the participation of the group in the Civic affairs.
The Sardessai camp is also closely keeping a watch as to how the Chief Minister would deal with the four Councilors-elect from Fatorda area, who do not belong to his group.
Interestingly, both the Kamat and Sardessai appear to have adopted a cautious approach and have avoided raking up controversies in the run up to the election of the civic chief.
Take for instance, the Sardessai camp. The GPCC general secretary told newsmen that his group comprises of only five Councillors-elect even though it is an open secret that he had backed the candidature of Doris Texeira and Pratima Coutinho. Sources said the GPCC general secretary has deliberately avoided naming Doris and Pratima in his group so as not to antagonize the chief minister.
On the other hand, the chief minister has reciprocated the gesture by having a meeting only with the Councillors-elect from Margao area, even though 2-3 Councillors-elect from the Fatorda area, who do not go well with Sardessai, may be ready to align with the chief minister.
The clear position would emerge on Tuesday, not only over who would finally become the next chairperson of the Margao civic body, but the number of Councillors-elect from both Margao and Fatorda, who would be attending the joint meeting called by the chief minister.