MARGAO
Trinamool Congress on Friday inducted two Margao municipal councillors, including former chairperson Ghanshyam Shirodkar into the party, setting the stage for a battle with Opposition leader Digambar Kamat and the ruling BJP for the Margao seat.
The Margao MLA, however, remained unfazed by the political development, saying the induction of the two Margao councillors makes no difference to him, saying Madgavkars know him and his work for the city all these years.
Both Shirodkar and Mahesh Amonkar were inducted into the TMC separately by the party leadership. The duo, who were close aides of the Opposition leader just before the Margao municipal polls, represents the migrant-inhabited Moti Dongor and the Khareband-Kharelem belt, which have been the strongholds of the Margao MLA over the years.
“I have joined the TMC on Friday after I realized that there was no attempt made to take on the MLA seriously by other parties. I had already started my election work in Margao constituency and the ongoing campaign will be carried forward in the coming days”, he said.
Shirodkar represents ward no 18 in the Margao municipal council, which covered half the voters of migrant-inhabited Moti Dongor. In the 2021 municipal polls, Shirodkar was part of the Model Margao panel backed by the Margao MLA. He, however, parted ways with the panel and Kamat in protest over the MLA’s decision to surrender the post of the Margao Municipal Chairperson to the Goa Forward backed Fatorda Forward.
Since then, Shirodkar was perceived as a candidate against the Margao MLA, who has been representing the city since 1994.
On the other hand, Mahesh Amonkar had severed his ties with the Margao MLA in the run-up to the 2021 municipal polls after Kamat did not field him on his Model Margao panel.
While Shirodkar and Mahesh were inducted in the TMC on Friday, it could not be ascertained who amongst the duo will be the choice of the party for the candidature.
The BJP, which has a significant presence felt in the city, is yet to decide on the party candidate, even though speculations have been doing the rounds whether the party will field city builder Dr Desh Prabhudesai or award-winning film producer Rajendra Talak to take on the Margao MLA in the ensuing polls.
