MARGAO
In an interesting development, the BJP group in the Margao Municipal Council has made it categorically clear that it will not support the Digambar Kamat-backed candidate for the post of MMC Chairperson even if the Margao MLA quits Congress to join the saffron party.
In fact, senior BJP-backed councillor Sadanand Naik told the media that he would stake a claim for the MMC post on behalf of the BJP even if Kamat embraces the party before the elections for the hot seat.
He also wondered whether the BJP and Congress can come together in the elections for the Chairperson’s post when the two parties are enemies across the country.
Sadanand’s stand assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the fact that the Kamat group, which has seven members in the civic body, may take the help of the nine-member BJP group if speculations that the Margao MLA may join the BJP come true.
“I want to make categorically clear that even if Kamat along with his group of councillors joins BJP, we will not make his candidate the MMC Chairperson. I will stake a claim for the post being the senior most BJP-back councillor,” Sadanand asserted.
Digambar begins exercise of shortlisting candidate for post of MMC chairperson
MARGAO:
Margao MLA Digambar Kamat has started the exercise of shortlisting the candidate for the post of Margao Municipal Chairperson by holding individually with the seven councillors aligned to his Model Margao group.
Kamat has further exuded confidence that the Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai has promised him that his eight-member Fatorda Forward candidates will back his pick for the MMC chief post.
“Our group supported the Goa Forward candidate Lyndon Pereira for the post of MMC Chairperson after the 2021 civic polls. Now, I am confident that the Vijai Sardesai-backed group would support our candidate,” he said.
Saying that he has started the exercise of shortlisting the candidate for the MMC Chairperson’s post, Kamat said he has held meetings with individual councillors to ascertain their views on the choice of the candidate. “I may call for a meeting of all the councillors aligned to Model Margao group in a day or two,” he added.
