MARGAO: Buoyed by the success of his Fatorda Forward panel in the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) elections, Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai said it was time to make the movement into Goa Forward. Sardesai did not disclose his political ambitions post the municipal elections but expressed a desire to work with like-minded forces keeping in mind the 2017 assembly elections.
He minced no words in reiterating that despite the concerted campaign by BJP in Fatorda, the people put their belief in the Fatorda model by electing his panel and went on to speak about how the model should be emulated and replicated across Goa as it is what the people want.
With an independent candidate extending support to Sardesai’s 11 candidates, their total rises to 12 and with alliance partner – Digambar Kamat’s Model Margao panel of six victors, the joint tally rises to 18 giving them a clear majority.
Speaking about MMC, Sardesai non- committal about attending council meetings, is firm in convening a panel of mentors where people like Advocate Rajeev Gomes and even BJP members could help supervise and steer MMC in achieving development goals. He said that the Fatorda Forward panel was committed to ensure they deliver on their manifesto and spoke about how in the past there was a group who had a vision of developing a ring road that would ease the traffic congestion in Fatorda.
The MLA called upon the government to ensure that MMC has a strong chief officer and not a puppet as it was important that the municipality has the support of the administration without outside interference.
He added that he would move a private members bill in the next Assembly session to make the municipalities more effective in terms of powers and functioning. Sardesai said that the municipality should strive at providing basic amenities to the people.
He also criticised BJP for indulging in horse trading in other municipalities and said the party should not ‘try to fly with borrowed feathers’. He called on the BJP to respect the mandate of the people and poked holes in the party celebrations in many places, including Margao, where it had failed to secure a majority.
Sardesai, a former Congressman, criticised the Congress labeling it a ‘social club’ and castigating its silence during the municipal elections.
