MARGAO
Call it a BJP versus BJP battle or otherwise, the BJP-backed sarpanch of Aquem-Baixo panchayat Avinash Sardesai was voted out of office in a no-confidence motion on Friday.
Sardesai’s ouster comes against the backdrop of hectic moves by party leaders to scuttle the no trust motion and save embarrassment for the party, but in vain.
The saffron brigade, however, can take consolation in the fact that after ousting the party-backed sarpanch from office, the five member group announced that they too all belong to the BJP and the new sarpanch will belong to the party.
Despite pressure from party leaders, the five signatories to the motion, including deputy sarpanch Natasha Dias, Pradeep Prabhakar Acharya, Milind Bhaskar Salunke, Inacio Dias and Pooja Pramod Naik remained united to ensure the ouster of the sarpanch.
When the motion came up for discussion at the special meeting, exchanges ensued between the beleaguered sarpanch Sardesai and signatory and former sarpanch Inacio Dias.
Defending the decision to move the no confidence motion, Inacio pointed out that Sardesai did not take the members into confidence, and had kept members in the dark over a court matter. He further said the sarpanch issued occupancy certificate for a project when the members had requested to keep the NOC on hold.
