MARGAO
In what is seen as a challenge by the ruling BJP to Margao MLA Digambar Kamat to retain his flock in the Margao Municipal Council, the BJP Margao Mandal on Monday claimed that four municipal councillors are in touch with the party, exuding confidence in forming the next Margao Municipal Council if the four join the party before Independence Day.
The BJP Mandal has dared the Margao MLA to first quit the Congress and then meet the State party president if at all he is interested in joining the saffron brigade. The Mandal accused the Margao MLA and his supporters of floating rumours and speculations about his imminent entry into the ruling party.
BJP Margao Mandal president Rupesh Mahatme told the media in the presence of former deputy chief minister Babu Ajgaonkar and Margao leaders Sharamd Raiturkar and Chandan Nayak that the BJP’s strength in the 25-member Margao Municipality has now increased to nine.
“In the 2021 Municipal polls, the BJP had won seven seats. The tally increased to eight earlier this year when Fatorda councillor Shweta Lotlikar embraced the party. Our tally has now gone up to nine after independent candidate Mahesh Amonkar joined the BJP,” Rupesh said.
He added: “Four councillors from the Margao area are now in touch with the party. If everything goes on well, we will welcome the four to the party. Our tally will then go up in the MMC to 13, which will help the party elect our candidate as the new Margao Municipal Chairperson.”
When the media demanded to know whether the four Margao Municipal CouncilLors are joining the BJP since Margao MLA Digambar Kamat is set to embrace the ruling party, Rupesh shot back: “We have nothing to do with Digambar Kamat. We have no idea whether Kamat is joining the BJP or not.”
Saying the Margao MLA has no guts to quit the Congress, Rupesh said the party leaders have clarified that they too have no knowledge whether Kamat is quitting the party or not.
He added: “If Kamat has the guts, let him resign from the Congress and then meet the State party president. Only then we will take a stand on Kamat’s entry into the party”.
MCA intact, will continue to rule civic body: Digambar
MARGAO:
Asserting he does not want to accord any importance to statements made by BJP leaders that four Margao municipal councillors are joining the BJP, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat on Monday asserted that the Margao Civic Alliance (MCA) between him and Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai is intact and will continue to rule the civic body.
When The Goan called him up for his reaction to the statement made by BJP leaders that the saffron party will form the council after four Margao municipal councillors embrace the ruling party, Kamat shot back: “I do not want to give any importance to such statements. Let them make statements, I have nothing to say.”
However, when asked about the status of the Margao Civic Alliance (MCA) forged by him and his Fatorda counterpart Vijai Sardesai, presently ruling the council, Kamat quipped “The MCA is intact and is ruling the council.”
The Margao MLA added that he and Sardesai will meet soon to take stock of the situation in the civic body.
Incumbent MMC Chairperson Lyndon Pereira, belonging to the Goa Forward, is required to step down from office after presiding over the post for 15 months. As per the agreement between Kamat and Sardesai, the post will then be rotated to the Kamat group for the next 15 months.
Vijai finds himself in a fix
MARGAO:
Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai finds himself in a fix and will have to bank on his political acumen to stop the saffron flag flying atop the Margao Municipal Council.
For, the ruling BJP, which has emerged as the single largest group in the civic body, seemed to make a determined bid to form the next council with the support of four councillors belonging to the Kamat camp. On the other hand, Sardesai is in alliance with his Margao counterpart Digambar Kamat, with the Margao Civic Alliance (MCA), enjoying a comfortable majority in the civic body. However, against the backdrop of speculations that Kamat may quit Congress to join the BJP, Sardesai, sources said, will have to tread a cautious path on how to go about doing business with the Margao MLA.
Sources pointed out two crucial questions that have come to stare at the Goa Forward Chief: One, how to stop the BJP from forming the next council. Secondly, will he continue to support the MCA alliance with Kamat, when speculations are rife that the Margao MLA sooner rather than later, joins the BJP?
“Assume a situation wherein Kamat have his way in electing the new MMC Chairperson from his group as per the agreement with Sardesai. And, then he decides to quit Congress to join the BJP. These questions must have certainly come to occupy the mind of the Goa Forward chief,” remarked a political observer.
The observer added: “Given that Sardesai may realize that the unfolding developments tend to favour the ruling BJP, he may have to work out a Plan B, to try and wean away disgruntled councillors from both the BJP and the Kamat camps to stop the BJP flag flying atop the civic body.”
In the 25-member Margao municipality, Goa Forward enjoys the support of eight councillors and requires five crucial numbers to retain power in the civic body.
