TEAM HERALD
VASCO: Tara Kerkar took over as Mormugao Municipal Council’s vice-chairperson on Wednesday in an election boycotted by the councillors from the opposition camp. She now joins her colleague Lavina D’Souza and will fight to ensure that “her (Kerkar’s) association with the MMC for the last several years yielded results.”
“As a senior leader, I will give all my advice to the chairperson Lavina D’Souza, and together we will surely make all attempts to see that some developmental works can be taken up in the remaining six-month term of the council,” said Kerkar.
This is the first time in the history of the male-dominated MMC that the posts of chairperson and vice chairperson are occupied by women. The citizens of Vasco will keep a close watch on the performance of the elected council, especially with the municipality elections six months away.
What surprised, and even shocked, the citizens of Vasco was that the same councilors who threw Tara out from the post of chairperson, with the allegation that she failed to take them into confidence, now ensured that she was elected unopposed.
“Nothing is permanent in politics, neither friendship nor enmity. Tara supported us at the time when there was difference of opinion with the group. Lavina was finally elected because of the support given by Tara and this time we gave her our support,” said Shekhar Khadapkar, former chairperson and present MMC councillor.
He added, “It is a good sign that we have female councillors who are occupying the chairperson as well as vice chairperson’s post. As our chief officer J B Bingui is retiring on April 30, we would like to see a lady chief officer taking over in place of Bingui.”
