That the Independents had a meeting on Sunday in a hotel at Betul assumes significance since it comes on the eve of the meeting called by the BJP leadership of its elected ZP members in Panjim on Monday.
Quepem MLA Babu Kavlekar said that the non-BJP, MGP and GVP Zilla members have met to discuss the political situation. “As of now, the Independents number around 12. We had called all the Independents for the meeting today. All these Independents are together,” he said.
The BJP-MGP-GVP alliance has a wafer thin majority of 13 seats in the 25 member South Goa Zilla Panchayat body. The BJP leadership is yet to take a call on the candidates for the post of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson though the names of former ZP vice chairperson Navnath Naik and former Rumdamol sarpanch Ulhas Tuenkar are doing the rounds in party circles.
It is not yet known whether the BJP will be open to opt for incumbent South Goa ZP Chairperson and GVP ZP member Nelly Rodrigues, given her experience as she has been elected to the South Goa ZP for the fourth time in a row.
