the goan I network
CANACONA
In a dramatic turn of events, Jagdish Gaonkar was on Monday unexpectedly elected unopposed as sarpanch of Poinguinim and the BJP leaders were quick to claim victory of sorts by stating that the ruling panel was with them.
According to reports, Congress-backed Panch Provir Bhandari was the only candidate to file his nomination to the post of sarpanch. The post had fallen vacant after then Congress-backed sarpanch Ramdas Pujari was ousted unanimously, following his alleged refusal to vacate the post, as agreed in advance, to make way for a next panch to serve as sarpanch.
When a special meeting was convened on Monday to elect the new sarpanch, Marlim Panch Jagdish Gaonkar, a known supporter of Pravir Bhandari, surprised everyone by filing his nomination at the last moment and staking claim to the post of sarpanch.
Further drama unfolded when Bhandari suddenly withdrew his nomination to the post, leaving Gaonkar as the lone contestant.
BDO observer and Presiding Officer Biva Velip, who was assisted by the Panchayat Secretary Rajiv Gaonkar, declared Gaonkar elected unopposed as the new sarpanch of Poinguinim.
Soon after the elections, local BJP leaders waving BJP flags appeared on the scene and began congratulating each other, claiming that the newly elected sarpanch and four other panchas were from the BJP panel.
Incidentally, former sarpanch Ramdas Pujari sided with the ruling group, leaving the Congress backed panchas, including Dy Sarpanch Elda Fernandes, high and dry, in the nine-member panchayat.
Soon, the ruling BJP panel was seen along with panchas Disha Pagi, Bipin Prabhugaonkar, Philip Monteiro and Ramdas Pujari, leaving aside the four-member opposition group of Pravir Bhandari, Sarita Pagi, Namshikar and Dy Sarpanch Elda Fernandes. While newly elected sarpanch Jagdish Gaonkar claimed his panel is backed by the BJP, GPCC Secretary Janardhan Bhandari and others closely following the outcome of special meeting put up a brave front and insisted that the panel is still a Congress-backed panel.
On the other hand, Canacona Block Congress President Elvis Fernandes accused the BJP of dirty politics to take control of the Poinguinim panchayat at the last moment.
Meanwhile, the BJP congratulated its Canacona cadre for successfully installing BJP-backed panel to rule the Poinguinim panchayat.
Canacona BJP spokesman Bhushan Prabhugaonkar, after declaring a BJP ruling panel under the leadership of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, and guidance of ex-Canacona MLA Vijay Poi Khot, in a statement said, “Special thanks to Mahesh Naik (Block president), Sanjeev Tilve, Nandeep Bhagat, Sarvanand Bhagat (District-South President) Suraj Naik Desai, Satish Poinginkar, Pankaj Naik Gaonkar (Yuwa Adhyaks), Vallabh Tengse, Pushpa Ayya (ZP Poinguinim), Vishal Desai, Vinay Tubki, Prashant Desai, Vikas Prabhu, Durgesh varik and all the workers of BJP Canacona for helping install a BJP-backed panel in Poinguinim panchayat.”
