Team Herald
MARGAO: After the shifting of loyalties and ensuing political drama in the Margao Municipal Council a month ago, the Cuncolim Municipality witnessed a coup of sorts with the BJP camp trying hard to wrest control of this municipality from the Congress party. Seven councillors have moved a no-confidence motion against Chairperson Laxman Naik, who is backed by Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, and has held the post for around a year and a half now.
In a shock to the allied Congress-GFP camp, councillor Uddesh Dessai, who was the Goa Forward Party’s Student Cell convenor, switched sides and signed the no-confidence motion. He was then expelled from the party.
Since he has been conniving with the BJP, and his loyalties have shifted, he was expelled from the party, said Durgadas Kamat, General Secretary of GFP.
The seven councillors who have signed the no-confidence motion include Virendra Dessai, Rahul Dessai, Uddesh Dessai, Polita Carneiro, Vishal Dessai, Rupa Gaonkar and Raimond D’Souza. Initially, Congress had a total of eight councillors and in addition to them, was Uddesh, backed by GFP, and in opposition, were five councillors backed by the BJP. One of the councillors from the ruling side is presently out of station for a few months.
In the notice of no-confidence, it has been stated that Chairperson Laxman Naik was not taking the other councillors into confidence, and hence, they seek his removal from the post of chairperson. Naik told Herald that he has not received a copy of the no-confidence notice. “Right from the beginning, I had made my intentions clear that I am holding the chair not to make money or to cheat people, but to provide service through this Council,” said Naik, adding that the CMC’s bi-monthly meeting held on Friday went smoothly. “I will only learn who moved the motion and why, when I receive the official notice,” he added. The civic body was the only Municipality which was in full control of the Congress party, wherein local MLA and Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao had proved his capability with a majority. Alemao was out of station and unavailable for comment.
