After cross-voting, six members signed no-confidence motion against newly elected sarpanch; leadership working to keep camp united
File photo of Menino Colaco elected as the Davorlim Sarpanch on Friday only to face a no-confidence motion tabled by six members.
MARGAO
History appears to have repeated itself for the ruling BJP in Davorlim village after the party suffered a shock defeat in the election for the post of sarpanch earlier this week.
Reports suggest that cross-voting played a decisive role in the setback, with at least two members reportedly casting their votes for the rival independent candidate Menino Colaco who was elected the sarpanch on Friday.
This is not the first time the BJP has faced such internal cracks. A similar episode unfolded during the election for the post of Margao Municipal Chairperson three years ago, when cross-voting embarrassed the party after its nominee, Damu Shirodkar, was defeated despite the BJP enjoying a majority in the 25-member civic body.
At that time, the BJP leadership—comprising Margao MLA and now PWD Minister Digambar Kamat—moved swiftly to contain the damage. Party members were made to sign a no-confidence motion to demonstrate their loyalty.
The government also intervened to help the party retain control over the Margao Municipal Council by promulgating an ordinance that allowed the election of the civic chairperson by a show of hands instead of the traditional secret ballot.
The result was clear: BJP-aligned councillors were left with no option but to openly support party nominee Damu Shirodkar through the show-of-hands voting system.
BJP strategists now appear to have adopted a similar approach in Davorlim, with six panchayat members signing a no-confidence motion against newly-elected sarpanch Menino Colaco just two hours after the election.
According to sources, the move was intended to test the loyalty of party-aligned panchayat members, all of whom had claimed to have voted for the BJP’s nominee, Vidhyadhar Verlekar, who lost the election to Colaco by a 7–4 margin.
What reportedly angered the party leadership was the fact that eight panchayat members had attended a meeting on the eve of the election, pledging their support to Verlekar. However, only four votes were ultimately cast in his favour. “This mismatch did not sit well with the leadership,” said a source. “Hence, the idea of getting members to sign the no-confidence motion was proposed and subsequently accepted by the panchayat members,” the source added.
While no-confidence motions are normally decided by a show of hands, sources say questions are now being raised within and outside the BJP about how the party will ensure that its six members vote for the official nominee in the next sarpanch election — which, as per the panchayat rules mandates holding elections via secret ballot.
With the no-confidence motion against Sarpanch Menino Colaco now scheduled mid-next week, all eyes are now focussed on the BJP camp – whether the party leadership will be able to keep its flock together not only to carry the no-confidence motion, but to ensure the party candidate wins the election.
Sarpanch Menino Colaco, however, appears unfazed. Though the six panchayat members have signed the no-confidence motion, Colaco, however, exuded confidence of winning the election. “I am confident that all the seven members who voted and made me the sarpanch will again rally behind me,” he told the media.
