MARGAO
Will the emerging political developments unfolding in the State have any bearing on the number game in the Margao Municipal Council ruled by the Margao Civic Alliance promoted by MLAs Digambar Kamat and Vijai Sardesai?
While Digambar says he does not foresee any changes in the alliance, Vijai does not rule out the possibility of realignment in the Margao civic body after a Goa Forward party-BJP alliance government takes over the reigns of office on Tuesday.
In the 25-member Margao Municipal Council, the Vijai-led Goa Forward group has 11 councilors and has the support of an independent councillor, taking the number of councillors supporting the GF group to 12. The Digambar Kamat-backed group, which had a strength of six members, is now reduced to five, while the BJP has seven councillors, besides one independent.
The Alliance was stitched on the eve of 2015 Municipal poll when Vijai Sardesai was an independent MLA and Digambar Kamat (Cong).
City political observers say that with Vijai entering into an alliance with the BJP to form the new government, there may be changes at the civic body as well, especially as the BJP-backed councillors may call for a greater role in the civic body post formation of the new government.
When The Goan called up BJP-backed councillor and former chairperson Arthur D’Silva to shed light on the development, he only said “wait and watch.” The Goan, however, understands that a section of the BJP-backed councillors may be looking to play an active role in the affairs of the civic body with the Goa Forward Party and BJP joining hands to form the new government.
“I do not see any changes in the existing arrangement in the Margao civic body because the councillors were not elected on party lines. We had just come together in the interest of the city,” Digambar said, when asked whether he foresees any realignment of forces in the civic body.
Vijai, on the other hand, did not rule out the possibility of changes in the civic body. “We enjoy good equations with some of the BJP-backed councillors. With the Goa Forward and BJP coming together to form a new government, I do not see any problem between the two groups in the Margao Municipal Council as well,” Vijai said.
Presently, while the post of Chairperson is held by the Vijai group, with Babita Prabhudesai holding the reign of office since December 2015, Vice-Chairperson Doris Texeira belongs to the Digmabar Kamat group.
