MARGAO
The unfolding political developments in the Congress camp coupled with questions raised over the very future of senior MLA Digambar Kamat in the party have cast a shadow on the Margao Civic Alliance (MCA) ruling the Margao Municipal Council and the future ties between Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai and Digambar Kamat.
The unfolding developments have left a host of questions in the corridors of the Margao civic body unanswered. One, will Digambar-Vijai’s MCA remain intact when the Margao MLA has gone to the public to express his unhappiness with the Congress, though he has not yet announced his plans to park himself in the ruling BJP?
Secondly, will the Goa Forward chief interpret the political development of Sunday as an attempt by his alliance partner in the Margao Municipal Council to join hands with the BJP and call off the alliance in the civic body?
On paper, a new alliance between the Kamat group and the BJP-backed group in the 25-member civic body may appear a distinct possibility in the coming days if the Margao MLA sever ties with the Congress. But, many a question remains unanswered “ will all the seven Kamat-backed councillors agree to his decision to have a tie-up with the BJP group to form the new council.
That’s not all. Another question doing the rounds in the corridors of the Margao civic body is whether all the eight BJP-backed City Fathers will stay together in the event of a BJP-Kamat tie-up, or will the flock go astray to form a third group in the civic body?
With exactly a month and a half to go for incumbent MCA-backed Chairperson Lyndon Pereira to step down from office, these and other questions have indeed come to the fore in the commercial capital.
As per the power-sharing pact between Kamat and Sardesai, the MMC Chairperson’s post is to be rotated amongst the alliance partners every 15 months. Vijai-backed Fatorda Forward enjoyed the privilege to occupy the post first given that the group enjoyed the support of nine councillors as against Kamat’s eight councillors in the April 2021 civic polls.
The power equation in the Margao Municipal Council is simple. In the 25-member body, the BJP and the Goa Forward enjoy the support of eight councillors each, the Digambar Kamat’s group seven, and two Independents - Ghanashyam Shirodkar and Mahesh Amonkar.
Sources say that the MCA should retain power in the civic body without much difficulty in the event the alliance remains intact. Similarly, a tie-up between the BJP and Kamat group in the event the Margao MLA breaks ties with Congress will bring a new dispensation to power. Observers, however, do not rule out the emergence of a new group to rule the civic body from September given the unpredictable nature of politics in the Margao Municipal Council over the years.
Ghanashyam leaving no stone unturned to return to hot seat
Even as the Digambar-Vijai MCA is the centre of focus in the wake of the political developments, a third force led by former Margao municipal Chairperson Ghanashyam Shirodkar seemed to take concrete shape in the civic body.
After having quit the Kamat-backed Model Margao group soon after the 2021 municipal polls, over the question of chairperson’s post, Ghanashyam is leaving no stone unturned to return to the hot seat after over a decade. Sources in the know say that Ghanashyam is in close touch with councillors owing allegiance to the Kamat group, Vijai group as well as the BJP.
Given that the former MMC Chairperson has targeted the Margao MLA over a host of issues in recent days, political observers wonder whether Ghanashyam is acting as per a political script written by the powers that be.
Possibility of BJP and Kamat uniting in MMC not ruled out
Will history repeat itself in the Margao civic body in the event Margao MLA Digambar Kamat break ties with the Congress to return to the BJP fold?
In 2017, the honeymoon between Digambar Kamat and Vijai Sardesai in the Margao Municipal Council had come to an end after the Goa Forward extended support to former chief minister late Manohar Parrikar to form the BJP-led government after the Assembly polls.
Political observers say it is too premature to predict the political contours in the Margao Municipal Council, though they do not rule out the possibility of the BJP and Kamat coming together in the civic body in the event the Margao MLA part ways with the Congress.
Will go by dictates of State leadership, says Damu Naik
The BJP camp in the Margao Municipal Council is watching the unfolding political developments.
BJP-backed Vibrant Margao Chairman and former MLA Damu Naik only preferred to comment by saying the party will go by the dictates of the State leadership.
"We are only watching the developments. Nothing concrete seemed to be emerging at the State level or in Margao. We will take the appropriate stand and go by the party directives once the developments take concrete shape,” Damu said.
Vijai plays his cards close to chest
Goa Forward Chief MLA Vijai Sardesai seemed to be playing cards close to his chest in respect of the Margao civic body.
In the recent past, Sardesai had cautioned that the Goa Forward will not remain quiet in the civic body if Congress MLA Digambar Kamat joins the BJP.
With MMC Chairperson Lyndon Pereira, owing allegiance to the Goa Forward, now scheduled to step down from office by August end, Sardesai say there’s still a month and a half to go for the Chairperson to resign.
Sources, however, informed that the Fatorda MLA had a meeting with his group of councillors to take stock of the situation soon after news did the rounds that Kamat along with seven other Congress MLAs was planning to embrace the BJP on Sunday.
