OLD GOA
Their parties may be fierce rivals elsewhere in the State, but three St Andre leaders from different political parties came on a common platform to extend their support to the four panchas who had filed a no-confidence motion against Siridao Sarpanch Jagdish Gauns.
BJP leader Ramrao Wagh, Goa Forward leader Jagdish Bhobe and Congress leader Tony Fernandes, kept aside their political differences to throw their weight behind the four panchas to help oust Gauns, who is backed by St Andre MLA Francis Silveira.
All the three leaders alleged that the St Andre MLA had been behind the fiasco and said it was a deliberate attempt to delay the no-confidence motion.
“Ever since the no-confidence motion was moved, several attempts were being made to split the four panchas, including the use of muscle and money power. However, the four panchas remained united and today we all have come together to support them,” Ramrao Wagh informed and sent a warning to Silveira not to play such dirty games.
“This is the first panchayat you have lost hold of and in the coming days, we will see to it that you will lose hold of other panchayats as well,” he added.
Jagdish Bhobe said there was nothing political in them coming together as they had come to save democracy in Siridao and congratulated the panchas and the villagers for remaining united and not falling prey to muscle power.
Congress leader Tony Fernandes also blamed Silveira for being behind the incident. “He did not want to let go of his hold on the panchayat and that is the reason why he played such a tactic to delay the no-confidence motion,” Fernandes alleged.
