MARGAO: With the stage set for the new chairperson of the Margao Municipal Council (MMC), veteran councillor Damu Shirodkar appears to be the front runner for the post.
The Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) has fixed September 16, as the day for the meeting for the councillors to elect the new chairperson. Vice-Chairperson Deepali Sawal from the Model Margao group is also expected to submit her resignation soon and a councillor from the Goa Forward Party (GFP) group is likely to contest for the vice-chairperson’s post.
It may be recalled that on August 26, the former Chairperson Lyndon Pereira from the GFP group of councillors submitted his resignation based on the seat sharing agreement with the group of councillors that are backed by Margao MLA Digambar Kamat.
There has been considerable suspense over who the Margao councillors would choose to be the chairperson and the lengthy delay in finalising a name gave rise to speculation about simmering tensions within the Model Margao group.
For perspective, in the 25-strong council body, there are eight councillors in the GFP group that are backed by Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, the Model Margao group has seven councillors and the opposition group of councillors backed by the BJP has nine councillors. Former chairperson Ghanshyam Shirodker, who was earlier part of the Model Margao group, is now an independent councillor after his public fallout with Kamat. Incidentally, according to political rumours, Ghanshyam is also expected to be in the race for the chairperson’s seat along with yet another opposition councillor.
However, as things stand, the ruling group of councillors from the Model Margao group and GFP group that are part of the Margao Civic Alliance have the numbers to form the majority.
While the reason behind the long delay in the Margao group was that a section of the Margao councillors had opposed Damu Shirodkar’s name for chairperson and was in favour of councillor Sagun Naik instead, sources said that the Margao MLA has stood by Shirodkar and has conveyed this personally to the remaining six councillors.
The GFP group has already given their assurance to support whoever the Model Margao group chooses.
