MARGAO
The mood in the Congress-turned-BJP MLA Digambar Kamat’s camp appeared upbeat, while dejection reigned in the Goa Forward a day after the government promulgated an Ordinance doing away with secret ballot in the election for the post of Municipal chairperson and vice-chairperson.
The reason is not far too seek. With the Kamat camp hit by the ghost of cross-voting in the September 16 polls for the MMC chairperson’s post, which saw the defeat of party candidate Damu Shirodkar and the election of Goa Forward-backed independent Ganashyam Shirodkar, the Ordinance has come as a huge relief to the ruling camp as it mandates show of hands in the ensuing polls, expected to rule out cross-voting by the rebels.
On the other hand, Goa Forward leaders and party-backed councillors seemed to have resigned to their fate as they will have to hope against hope to get three councillors to jump the BJP ship and join the regional party, a situation considered remote for the moment even by party leaders.
While the BJP-backed councillors are now bracing up for the next phase of preparation for the election to zero in on a consensus choice of candidate for the vacant post, the Goa Forward camp has a ready candidate in ex-chairperson Ganashyam Shirodkar but will have to take a call whether to contest the ensuing polls in the absence of not having 13 clear numbers on its side.
That’s not all. The BJP-backed camp pointed out that they are now all waiting for the return of Margao MLA Digambar Kamat before they go into a huddle to elect a new chairperson. Kamat has already made it clear that the candidate for the chairperson’s post will now be decided by involving other party leaders as well.
Friday saw the BJP-backed councillors calling on Sports Minister Govind Gaude during his visit to the town as part of the Minister at the people’s doorsteps exercise along with party leader Damu Naik.
Reports emanating from the Goa Forward Party headquarters spoke of the party staying away from the October 12 election in the event the party cannot muster the simple majority of 13 councillors. Instead, the regional party is now focusing on mobilising civil society as well as like-minded political parties to launch a movement for the restoration of democracy in the Municipal Councils.
