TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CANACONA: Moves are afoot for a change in leadership at Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) even before CMC Chairperson Mahadev Dessai resigns from his post as part of a mutual agreement in his group.
During the recent Lok Sabha polls, Dessai, who was inducted into the PCC, had openly canvassed for the party candidate, following which dissent began to brew within the ruling dispensation to unseat Dessai.
Ruling councillors were in disagreement over moves to replace Dessai with Nagarcem Councillor Suchita Ranganath Naik Gaunkar. This then changed the equations as the ruling group found themselves in a minority in the 10-member council.
The opposition group, comprising ex-deputy chairperson Sandesh Gaonkar, Simon Rebello and Hemant Gracias, suddenly increased its tally to seven councillors, with the arrival of Deputy Chairperson Rajeshri Divakar Pagui, Champa Ashok Pagui, who joined Congress on the eve of Lok Sabha elections, and Ratnakar Dhuri, besides Dessai.
This left Ramakant Naik Gaonkar, Suchita Naik Gaonkar and Ajay Bhagat in a minority group, but they managed to pull in one additional member, Chaudi Councillor Hemant Gracias.
“I wish to relinquish the chair and support a Congress supporter to be the next chairperson,” Dessai told Herald, when contacted over reported moves to unseat him by BJP-affiliated councillors.
