MARGAO
The ruling BJP received a major jolt in Davorlim village falling under Navelim constituency represented by party MLA Ulhas Tuemkar when the party-backed candidate lost the election for the post of Sarpanch on Thursday.
Incidentally, party-backed candidate Sampada Naik was elected unopposed as deputy Sarpanch, even as Independent candidate Menino Colaco was elected the Sarpanch with seven votes in the 11-member body.
In the election held on Thursday, Menino Colaco was declared elected the new Sarpanch after he defeated BJP-backed candidate Vidhyadar Verlekar by 7-4 votes.
What’s interesting to note is that Davorlim Panchayat was ruled by the BJP before ex-Sarpanch Saiesh Rajadhyax along with deputy Sarpanch stepped down from office.
Soon after his victory, new Sarpanch Menino Colaco pointed out that he belongs to an independent group formed to usher in the development of the village. Menino, however, hastened to add that he and the group will approach local MLA Ulhas Tuemkar to take up pending development works in the village. He has promised to take all the 11 Panchayat members into confidence in the interest of the village.
Ex-BJP Sarpanch Saiesh Rajadhyax told the media that the BJP-backed candidate Vidhyadar Verlekar has lost the election for the post of Sarpanch “We all four members of the BJP voted in favour of Verlekar. I have nothing to say on the two votes that have gone to the other side”, he said.
Panchayat member Francisco Dias has charged certain elements for trying to divide the Scheduled tribe communities in the village. “Davorlim consists of a large section of tribal communities. We have seen certain people trying to divide the community. We will work for the overall development of the village”, Francisco said.
