THE GOAN NETWORK
VASCO
While all four BJP legislators were seen united in Mormugao to promote their candidate at the recent Lok Sabha polls, rival BJP-backed factions at Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) were exposed on Thursday when a no-confidence motion was filed against the MMC chairperson and his deputy.
In a significant political twist, a panel of councillors backed by Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida and some councillors supported by Panchayats Minister Mauvin Godinho moved a no-confidence motion against MMC Chairperson Kritesh Gaonkar and MMC Vice Chairperson Shashikant Parab of the ruling panel, backed by Urban Development Minister Milind Naik.
The no-confidence motion against Chairperson Gaonkar and Vice Chairperson Parab by Councillor Nandadeep Raut was signed by 13 councillors and submitted to the Director of Municipal Administration, which is, incidentally headed by Milind Naik.
The letter stated that the no-confidence motion was moved against the chairperson and dy chairperson of MMC, as they had failed to take councillors into confidence in the matters pertaining to the MMC and had behaved arrogantly and arbitrarily with the public.
The letter stated that the chairperson and his deputy were inefficient and misusing the powers bestowed upon them by the law, giving rise to large-scale corruption in the MMC.
According to sources, some councillors were expected to switch loyalties and overthrow the ruling panel and plans had been afoot in this direction, even as Gaonkar kept insisting that more councillors would join the ruling panel in a few days. Sources said efforts had been going on to rope in councillors from either side, with the ruling group holding on to a wafer-thin majority.
“Though most councillors are backed by BJP, there are two BJP-backed groups in the MMC. As of now, the present ruling panel had 13 councillors, while opposition had 12 members and this slim difference had always created tensions,” said a source, adding, “We have seen in the past that some councillors had switched political affiliations to form present ruling panel.”
The source added that one councillor Sandesh Mesta has switched from the present ruling to the opposition after he felt sidelined in the present panel, reducing the strength of the ruling panel to 12.
“His phone is switched off, but he will probably arrive in time to vote for a new MMC chairperson and vice chairperson,” the source added.
Incidentally, news of Mesta switching sides were doing the rounds in the last few days and till about Wednesday afternoon, he was reportedly spotted along with Gaonkar.
“There are also unconfirmed reports of two more councillors from the present ruling council switching to the other side,” the source said.
