MARGAO: Resentment over being ignored for the chairperson’s post by two councillors from the Model Margao panel has resulted in a major crack in Margao Congress MLA Digambar Kamat’s camp. There is strong speculation that Kamat’s close aides – Ghanashaym Shirodkar and Damodar Shirodkar – are prepping up to revolt.
Political circles in the town are abuzz that this development could adversely affect Kamat’s prospects at the next Assembly election. According to the close sources, there are possibilities that the two Shirodkars may tie up with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
While BJP leaders are watching the developments closely to tap Ghanashyam and Damodar, but the Kamat camp is not giving up, and efforts are on to patch up the situation.
Questioned on speculation of his joining BJP, Damodar said there would be shocking political developments in Margao in another four to six days.
“Not just me, but my supporters and even my voters are upset. I will be having meetings with supporters from Saturday onwards and my decision will be announced within the next few days,” he told Herald, adding that as a loyal solider he had done everything for Kamat.
Contacted for his take on the political developments, Kamat said, “I will talk to the councillors and resolve the differences.”
When Herald dug deep into the political developments, after the resentment of the two councillors surfaced, it was clear that even other close aides of Kamat are upset with the MLA’s selection for the chairperson and vice-chairperson of the Margao Municipal Council.
Speaking to Herald, a former councillors of the Kamat camp said that the resentment of Ghanashyam and Damodar will affect or create a negative impact on the local MLA.
“Both the councillors were very close to Digambar Kamat for a very long time. Everyone knows how close Damodar Shirodkar was to the local MLA. However, he was not the final selection of the MLA at least for the vice-chairperson post,” the former councillor stated.
There is speculation in Margao that Damodar is in touch with Margao BJP leaders and hence there is a possibility that he and Ghanashyam may join BJP if Kamat fails to patch up the situation at the earliest.
Damodar has been elected three times from his ward and his wife has represented it once.
BJP leader Bhai Naik said that Kamat has made the biggest mistake of his political career with regard to sidelining his close aides. “I think an injustice has been done to Ghanashyam and Damodar because they were both senior-most councillors. If the claims made by Ghanashyam are true then that is not proper from the Digambar side. If the chairperson was from Margao then it would have benefited Margao as a whole,” he stated.
He also said that Damodar was also a highly experienced councillor and should have at least been given a chance to be the vice-chairperson.
Naik, however, denied having had any political discussions with Damodar.
“He did not speak anything of that sort to me but the way the developments are going there are high possibilities that anything can happen,” Naik said.
