NESHWIN ALMEIDA
MARGAO: Gonzaco Rebello not only pulls out a rabbit from the hat every Monday but he seems to pull out a different coloured rabbit on Monday. One Monday Rebello got the Margao Municpal Council to protest against the Chief Officer, another Monday he got his council to run away from the people when they came to protest against him, another Monday he got his Mungul illegal construction stayed, last Monday he resigned before the DMA and now this Monday he has withdrawn his resignation. The Gonzaco games are far from offer and he’s managed to find an alternative chair every time the music stops.
Arthur D’Silva, the man who takes credits to have brought Rebello to power, defying the Margao-Fatorda MLAs, Vijai Sardesai and Digambar Kamat, seems baffled and blames former Fatorda MLA Mama Cardozo’s son Tito Cardozo for this move.
“Tito who has political ambitions in Fatorda is the master behind this move along with Sadanand Naik and has made him withdraw the resignation to continue the musical chairs and instability in the municipality. This will hamper development. But right now let Gonzaco face the people on his decision,” exclaimed D’Silva who seems to be gearing up for a no-confidence motion while he keeps his fingers crossed for a second stint as Chairman of the MMC.
But the municipality is in a mess as of now, municipal workers salaries have not been disbursed, pre-monsoon works have not being taken up, elections are round the corner and tenders are pending approval and there’s a huge strife between the councillors and Chief Officer SL Naveen.
“Arthur has all along boasted of defying Vijai and Digambar and holding fort in the municipality. Our panel has clearly shown Sadanand as our leader and we have said we don’t have the numbers now, so why is Arthur putting the ball in my court. I don’t want to be party to his dirty politics, these are all his croaked moves to get a backdoor entry to the chairperson’s chair,” said a councillor.
Meanwhile Rebello, speaking late night to Herald pointed out that he does look foolish but all the councilors have backed him on this decision. “You see I will vacate the seat and then there will be some time till someone plays tug of war and comes to power and by the time he begins works, it will be time for the polls and code of conduct will be implemented.”
Rebello asserted that Margao is his true love and the councilors want him to implement the Rs 15-lakh tender of basic pre-monsoon works and also to carry out maximum development before the polls and that was his reason to pull back the resignation from the DMA.
“All this is a farce. All this is a game. The man who credits to put Gonzaco on the chair is using Gonzaco as a scapegoat. He will pull a no-confidence in the next few days, make it look like he’s a superhero saving the city of Gonzaco and his illegal constructions and pull a fast one to be the next chairperson. We know who’s playing these games. Wait and watch. Sadly Margao and its residents are suffering terribly, these councillors don’t seem to care for the city,” said Rajeev Gomes who had led the fight to prevent the Chief Officer from being transferred.
