Political winds change in Paroda as Yuri loses grip of p’yat after sarpanch ousted

The four Panchayat members briefing the media after voting out Paroda Sarpanch Paulina Fernandes and Deputy Sarpanch Shailesh Jotkar on Monday.

MARGAO
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao has suffered a political setback on his home turf of Cuncolim, with the Paroda Village Panchayat slipping out of his camp’s control following a no-confidence motion on Monday.

Both Sarpanch, Paulina Fernandes, and Deputy Sarpanch, Shailesh Jotkar, were voted out of office, marking a significant shift in the political landscape of the village.

What adds weight to this development is that Paroda is the stronghold of Alemao’s arch-rival — former Congress MLA-turned-BJP leader Clafacio Dias. The outcome is being seen as sweet political revenge for Dias. Back in March 2023, the rival group aligned with Alemao had dislodged the Panchayat led by then Sarpanch Manisha Naik and Deputy Sarpanch Deepak Kharangte, just 6-7 months after they had taken charge following the 2022 Panchayat elections.

The latest shift in power indicates changing political winds in Paroda and a renewed push by Dias to reassert his influence in the constituency.

This became apparent when, no sooner had Sarpanch Paulina and her deputy Jotkar been voted out of office on Monday morning after the no-confidence motion was carried by 4-3 votes, the four-member group had no hesitation in saying they are aligned to the ruling BJP.

The Opposition leader had been controlling the Paroda Village Panchayat for the last two and a half years.

Last week, however, four members of the seven-member Village Panchayat tabled a no-confidence motion against Sarpanch Paulina Fernandes and Deputy Sarpanch Shailesh Jotkar. The four signatories charged the Sarpanch and Deputy Sarpanch with not taking body members into confidence and not being available to the public in the office.

Signatories to the motion include Deepak Kharangate, Natalino Francisco Vissoscar, Manisha Naik and Rajeshree Gaonkar.

While Rajeshree Gaonkar is now tipped to be the new village Sarpanch, Natalino Francisco will settle for the post of Deputy Sarpanch as per the understanding amongst the four-member group.

When asked whether they had dislodged the Yuri Alemao-controlled Paroda Panchayat, the four members said soon after the motion was successfully carried by 4-3 votes that the people had elected them to work for the development of the village irrespective of party affiliations. Kharangate said the village had witnessed an absence of development, forcing the four members to table the no-confidence motion.

Panch member Natalino Francisco was categorical in saying the BJP will form the Paroda Panchayat as and when the Panchayat Director holds the election for the vacant posts. “The new Panchayat body will work for the benefit of the people of Paroda. The villagers have suffered in the last two years. We will work for the development of the village,” he added.