MARGAO
With just three days left for the election of the Margao Municipal Council Chairperson, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat and Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai will finally get down to brass tacks to zero in on the Margao Civic Alliance (MCA) candidate for the hot seat on Tuesday.
Even as sources pointed out that the Goa Forward Chief will stake claim to have one of his councillors as the next MMC Chairperson given that Fatorda Forward has nine members as against eight of Kamat-backed Model Margao, both are expected to first meet on Tuesday, followed by a meeting of the 17 councillors elected on the MCA panel.
As reported earlier, a total of four councillors, two each from the Fatorda Forward and Model Margao, have emerged as probable contenders for the top post.
While outgoing MMC Chairperson Pooja Naik and two-time councillor Lyndon Pereira hve emerged as the front runners from the Sardesai panel, former chairperson Ganashyam Shirodkar and two-time councillor Damu Shirodkar are in the reckoning from the Kamat camp.
Sources in the know say the Goa Forward Chief will insist on having either Pooja or Lyndon for the coveted post.
While all eyes were initially centred on Ganashyam Shirodkar from the Kamat camp to don the mantle, sources said two-time councillor Damu Shirodkar has laid his claim for the post.
The Goan understands that a group of citizens from Margao called on the Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat on Monday in support of Damu Shirodkar’s candidature.
The citizens are believed to have insisted on Damu’s candidature, pointing out that the two-time councillor had stood behind the Opposition leader over the last 10 years.
Sources said the Opposition leader is believed to have not given any commitment on the issue of Chairperson, only informing the group that he would discuss the matter with the Goa Forward Chief before taking a final decision.
Though the name of two-time councillor Lyndon Pereira is doing the rounds in Fatorda as the next MMC chairperson, the Goa Forward Chief has maintained that no final decision has been taken, adding it will be decided on Tuesday.
Sources said both Kamat and Sardesai are expected to work out a power-sharing arrangement in the civic body by rotating the post amongst their nominees during the five-year term.
