MARGAO
With round one for the post of Margao Municipal Chairperson going in favour of the Goa Forward-led group, local satraps and the City Fathers are bracing up for another round of battle to control the A Class civic body.
As the ghost of no-confidence motion looms against the newly-elected MMC Chairperson Ganashyam Shirodkar, after the BJP-led councillors signed the no-trust motion at the CM’s residence, the two groups are expected to go all out to outwit each other in the number game.
The no confidence motion, however, is expected to be an altogether different ball game, with the spotlight shifting on the Goa Forward and MMC Chairperson Shirodkar, but for a different reason.
For, unlike the election for the post of Chairperson, which was conducted via secret ballot, no confidence motions are normally decided by show of hands.
Goa Forward on Friday sprang a big surprise when the party managed as many as six BJP-backed councillors to cross vote.
The regional party and the newly-elected MMC Chairperson, however, are now faced with an acid test -- how to ensure that at least three of the BJP-backed councillors do not show their hands in support of the motion when they have already signed the notice of no trust in the presence of party leaders.
The newly-elected MMC Chairperson has won the election with ease polling 15 votes as against the 10 votes polled by his opponent.
On paper, however, Ganashyam and the Goa Forward camp enjoys support of only 10 members “ Goa Forward (8), Ganashyam Shirodkar (Ind) and councillor Sunita Paradkar, who openly sided with the Goa Forward-backed group.
In the delicate number game, the ruling group desperately needs the support of at least three councillors from the BJP-backed group to ensure that Ganashyam stays put as the MMC chairperson.
Sources said the possibility of any of the 15 BJP-backed councillors publicly showing their hands against the no confidence motion is remote, more so after they signed the no trust motion.
Such a situation implies that the Goa Forward will have to wean over at least three BJP councillors on its side to achieve the magic figure of 13 and ensure the no trust motion fails, failing which the Margao Municipality will head for fresh election for the coveted post.
