MARGAO
With the post of Margao Municipal Council Chairperson falling vacant after the resignation of Lyndon Pereira, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat's Model Margao panel in the civic body has come under the cynosure of all eyes.
For, the 7-member group of councillors has a task cut out -- to come out with a consensus choice of candidate to contest the vacant post of MMC Chairperson.
So far, the Margao MLA has not called a meeting of the group of councillors to zero in on the choice of candidate for the post.
With time running out as the Director of Municipal Administration is expected to convene a meeting of the council to fill up the vacant post, sources said the Margao MLA is expected to call a meeting of the Model Margao group in a day or two to work out a consensus candidate.
Many say the Margao MLA has to use his political experience and acumen to strike a consensus in his group given reports that at least two candidates, two-time councillor Damu Shirodkar and first-time City Father Shagun alias Dada Naik have expressed their intentions to contest the election for the vacant post.
Damu, sources say, is banking on the Margao MLA to ensure that the Model Margao group rallies behind him.
The Margao MLA has another task at hand, to ensure that the Margao Civic Alliance with Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai remains intact. For, reports have been doing the rounds in political circles that a couple of councillors aligned to the MCA are not averse to rallying behind former MMC Chairperson Ghanashyam Shirodkar for the coveted post.
Incumbent Chairperson Lyndon Pereira had stepped down from office after presiding over the post for 15 months as per an understanding between MCA leaders Digambar Kamat and Vijai Sardesai to rotate the post amongst the alliance partners.
