the goan I network
MARGAO
In an interesting development that raised many an eyebrow in city’s political circles, Goa Forward Party-backed councillors, including Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai, had a meeting at the residence of GFP leader and SGPDA member Venkat Raut in the city here on Wednesday evening.
While Chairperson Babita asserted there was nothing political about the meeting, sources wondered why the Goa Forward councillors had to meet at the residence of Venkat Raut, more so as the PDA member is heading to Canada to join Goa Forward chief and Deputy Chief Minister.
It could not be confirmed whether Venkat had convened the meeting of party-backed councillors at his residence on the instruction of party chief Vijai Sardesai, who is presently on a tour of Israel.
Chairperson Babita, however, tried to scoff all rumours about differences in the ruling camp, saying the meeting was held to take stock of the situation, especially the status of the pre-monsoon works.
“Venkat Raut is leaving abroad on Thursday and will join Vijai in Canada. The meeting was just called to take stock of the situation,” Babita said, while trying to down play the situation as the meeting was held at the residence of the Goa Forward leader, who is not at all associated with the Margao Municipal Council.
“Let me make it clear no politics was discussed at the meeting. We have only discussed about the pre-monsoon works. In this connection, I have called the contractor and a meeting with the councillors will take place in the civic body on Thursday,” she said.
MMC Vice-chairperson Tito Cardozo and other Goa Forward councillors made it for the meeting, which, however, raised many an eyebrow in the corridors of the civic body as speculations were rife
that a section of the ruling councillors were unhappy
with the functioning of the civic body.
