MARGAO: Dorris Texeira of the Model Margao group, patronised by Opposition Leader Digambar Kamat, filed her nomination for the post of Chairperson of MMC. Fatorda Forward has 12 councillors and Model Margao has six in the council. The election will be decided by which way the BJP councillors vote.
The post of chairperson fell vacant following the exit of Dr Babita Angle over the Dr Jack Sequeira statue installation row. Puja Naik from Fatorda Forward Group has filed her nomination for the top MMC chair. Thursday was the last day for filing nominations and the election will be held on Friday.
Texeira handed her nomination form to chief officer Siddhivinayak Naik in the presence of councillors Manoj Masurkar, Deepa Shirodkar, Avinash Shirodkar, Damu Naik and others.
“Opposition leader and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, along with my fellow councillors have asked me to file the nomination. I have been a councillor for 15 years and I am eligible to be chairperson,” Texeira said.
Asked whether the BJP councillors will support her, she said, “It depends on them. Councillors have to rise above caste, religion and political differences and support me.”
The BJP group, however, claimed they have no clear directions from the party on which side to choose.
While there is no clarity on what the BJP and Congress backed councillors may do, Fatorda Forward smartly remains with a majority.
But the game has not ended. The BJP and Congress supported groups have been constantly in touch with councillors of Faroda Forward, and have claimed that there are positive signs. In July 2018 there was news of Fatorda Forward councillors angered with Angle and attempting to remove her. This attempt was defused, but with voting being by secret ballot, the results could be unexpected.
