MARGAO, JULY 13
There’s a rift in the ruling group in the Margao Municipal Council, with members of the Standing Committee staging a walk out at the meeting on Tuesday to protest against the absence of development work in their wards.
The group of Councilors led by Vice-Chairperson Raju Naik, Ramdas Hazare, Rajendra Azgaonkar and Johnny Crasto served an eight day deadline on the Chairperson to either take up their development works or face a no confidence motion. Two other ruling Councilors Manjusha Kaskar and Babita Naik were seen with the foursome when they were addressing the media.
That there was a wide rift in the ruling body became clear on Tuesday morning when a group of Councilors bitterly complained to MMC Vice-Chairperson Raju Naik about the functioning of Chairperson Savio Coutinho.
Differences came out in the open at the Standing Committee meeting chaired by Chairperson Coutinho this evening. Before the meeting could take off, Vice-Chairperson Raju Naik, Rajendra Azgaonkar, Ramdas Hazare and Johnny Crasto – all members of the Standing Committee – questioned Chief Officer Y B Tawde over why tenders and quotations were not issued relating to developmental works in their wards.
While the Chairperson maintained silence, the foursome after questioning the Chief Officer decided to walk out saying that nothing concrete would come out of the standing committee meeting.
The foursome later told Herald that the Chairperson has not been taking the ruling Councilors into confidence on all matters, adding that the Chairperson should either mend his ways or be prepared to leave the office.
Raju said nothing is moving in the Civic body and demanded to know why the Chairperson is not taking the ruling members into confidence on developmental issues.
Councilor Ramdas Hazare gave the Chairperson eight days deadline to change his attitude or face a no confidence motion.
They pointed out that they had decided to elect Coutinho even before the Congress leaders had rooted their support to him to become the Chairperson. “We will draw attention of the leaders what is happening in the Civic body before taking action”, they warned.
Meanwhile, a section of the ruling Councilors said that Coutinho has been continuing in office due to support from the PWD Minister Churchill Alemao, even though some of the City Fathers and leaders were rooting for a change in the leadership.
