MARGAO
In fact, Vijai Sardesai went a step further and said that reports that Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudesai, who belongs to his group, will be replaced after Assembly poll results are announced after March 11, is just a figment of imagination of some persons.
Both Vijai and Digambar pointed out that there’s no question of replacing Babita Angle Prabhudesai, adding that there was no agreement amongst the two groups to rotate the Chairperson’s post after the Assembly election.
“Where’s the question of rotating the post of MMC Chairperson when Babita is doing a good job. There’s not even an allegation levelled against the chairperson. I do not know who is trying to create this confusion amongst the ruling Alliance. This appears to be a figment of imagination,” he said.
On the other hand, Digambar too pointed out that there was no agreement between the two groups to change the Chairperson after the Assembly election. “At the most, we may just meet to take stock of the situation. But, there was never any decision to change the Chairperson after the Assembly poll,” he asserted.
In the 25-member Margao Municipal Council, the Vijai-led Goa Forward group has 11 councillors and has the support of an Independent councillor, taking the number of councillors supporting the GF party group to 12. Digambar Kamat-backed councillors had a total strength of six members, but has now been reduced to five, after Colmorod Councillor Jaffar Budani parted ways last year.
Sources in the Vijai camp pointed out that the group is unlikely to concede the post of Chairperson to the Digambar group in the civic body, irrespective of the outcome of the Assembly election, as the group enjoys 12-member support in the 25-member body. The strength of the BJP-backed councillors has now risen to seven after Arthur D’Silva, Suchita Malkarnekar and Jaffar Budani joined.
In fact, all eyes are now focused on the Vijai camp, whether the group will stake its claim for the post of vice-chairperson, which is held by the Digambar Kamat-group. For, Vijai had promised ST community leaders and people from Fatorda on the eve of the Assembly poll that he would give a prominent place for one of the ST councillors in the
Margao Municipal Council after the election.
Incidentally, there’s no woman ST community member in Vijai’s 11-member group of councillors, triggering speculation whether Vijai would move to get one of the ST councillor as the MMC vice-chairperson.
“Yes, I had made the promise to give a prominent place for a ST councillor in the civic body. Let us wait for the outcome of the Assembly election on March 11,” Vijai added.
