Team Herald
CUNCOLIM: Cuncolim Municipal Council Chairperson Polita Carneiro was voted out of office in a no confidence motion moved by seven Councilors at a special meeting held on Friday evening.
Carneiro, who was on the hot chair since last one year, was finally voted out. However, Vice Chairperson Shashank Desai, who was instrumental in removing Carneiro from the chair, survived a similar motion against him.
It may recall that seven out of twelve councilors had filed no confidence motion against Carneiro. Director of Municipal Administration had convened a special meeting on Friday evening to discuss on the no confidence motion. Quepem Municipal Council Chief Officer Darshani Desai was present as observer for the meeting. Seven members voted in favour of motion, while five members remained absent for the meeting.
Shashank Desai, former chairperson Lavita Mascarenhas, councilors Ashok Fadte, Videsh Dessai and Uddesh Gaonkar voted in favour of the no confidence motion. Outgoing chairperson Polita Carneiro, Councilor Premdeep Desai, Penzy Coutinho and Succorina Coutinho remained absent.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Desai said that Carneiro failed to carry out development in Cuncolim. She was acting in an autocratic manner. She was not taking anybody into confidence in functioning of Council. “For the last one year, the Council was at standstill and no progress was initiated. People were questioning us about the misdeeds of Carneiro. We were forced to vote her out of office,” he added.
Councilor Videsh Gaonkar said that three councilors, affiliated to the BJP, have joined the new group only for development reasons. “We need progress and clean administration. The outgoing chairperson failed to perform and failed to give clean administration. So we had no other option, but to vote her out,” he added.
Meanwhile, Vice-Chairperson Shashank Desai survived the no confidence motion against him on Thursday.
It may be recalled Councilors Mario Morais, Soccorina Coutinho, Premdeep Dessai and Penzy Coutinho had filed a no confidence motion against Desai. In fact, Carneiro had issued a notice for special meeting to discuss the no confidence motion against Desai.
Sources from the ruling group told Herald that the group would meet shortly to decide on the new chairperson. The chairperson’s post is reserved for women in Cuncolim.
