VASCO
It was quite a surprise for many after two-time Vasco BJP MLA Carlos Almeida, who had contested on a Congress ticket in the 2022 assembly elections, rejoined the BJP on Tuesday morning.
What was even more interesting was that six of his eight supporters who have been very vocal as councillors of the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) also joined the BJP along with Almeida in the presence of BJP State President Sadanand Shet Tanavade, Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar, Panchayats Minister Mauvin Godinho and others.
The bigger question for people in the port town will certainly be how this political game could affect the MMC and all resolutions that may be adopted in the future.
The move may also affect the appointment of the next MMC chairperson which is usually done on a pre-agreed tenure between MMC councillors from all three constituencies of Mormugao, Vasco and Dabolim.
One thing that is certain is that all councillors in the present MMC had been elected with the support of five present or former BJP MLAs, Carlos Almeida, Milind Naik, Mauvin Godinho and Daji Salkar and MLA Sankalp Amonkar, who later joined the BJP after winning assembly elections.
MULTIPLE LEADERS
With former MLA Carlos Almeida back in the BJP, the party now has to adjust to strings being pulled by not just by three present MLAs, which includes Sankalp Amonkar who switched from the Congress to the BJP, but also by two former MLAs, Milind Naik and Carlos Almeida.
In fact, the two former MLAs virtually control the 25-member MMC with their panel of councillors in majority.
It is a known fact that nine councillors from Vasco constituency “ Yatin Kamurlekar, Devita Arolkar, Ameya Chopdekar, Fredrick Henriques, Priya Raut, Matias Monteiro, Deepak Naik, Narayan Borker and Kalayarasi Swamy “ had been elected under the Almeida panel.
Similarly, a sizeable seven councillors from Mormugao Constituency “ Ramachandra Kamat, Manjusha Pilankar, Dayanand Naik, Kunali Parsekar, Damodar Kaskar, Damodar Naik and Prajay Mayekar “ had been elected under the Milind Naik panel.
Incidentally, Councillor Shradda Amonkar who was elected from Dabolim constituency is close to Almeida, Leo Rodrigues who was elected from Dabolim constituency is close to Milind Naik.
This only adds to the tally for the two former MLAs, Carlos Almeida (10 councillors) and Milind Naik (8 councillors), taking the total tally to 18 in the 25-member MMC.
These 18 councillors would play a vital role in the functioning of the MMC, especially to decide on voting on important decisions and passing important resolutions despite their bosses not being in power any more.
Two councillors “ Shraddha Amonkar and Yogita Parsekar “ are in the Amonkar panel, while five councillors “ Shraddha Mahale, Siddesh Bhosle, Vinod Kinlekar, Caratina Xavier and Leo Rodrigues “ are in the Mauvin panel.
POWER SWITCH
As things changed after Daji Salkar was elected as Vasco MLA, 2 councillors from Almeida panel, Deepak Naik and Ameya Chopdekar, joined the Salkar panel due to the BJP, but 8 other councillors decided to be loyal to Almeida and functioned as a constructive opposition without switching sides.
However, two councillors from the Salkar panel (Shami Salkar and MMC Chairperson Girish Borker), seven councillors from the Milind Naik panel, two councillors from the Almeida panel (Deepak Naik and Ameya Chopdekar) along with three councillors from the Mauvin Godinho panel always formed the majority group in the council.
While the seven-member Milind Naik panel was considered the strength and the deciding factor for many resolutions, including the election of the MMC chairperson, the game is set to change with power now shifting back to the Almeida panel.
MINIMAL OPPOSITION
With the other Carlos panel councillors joining the BJP officially, it appears the MMC will have minimal opposition with 22 BJP-backed councillors and this could affect the functioning of the council.
Incidentally, two councillors of the Almeida panel (Priya Raut and Mathias Monteiro) were not present at the function as Carlos Almeida joined the BJP and so, their party affiliation is unclear. So far, only one Councillor Yogita Parsekar continues to support Congress. This leaves a lone opposition councillor in the 25 member council.
CHOICE OF CHAIRPERSON
With Damodar Kaskar (Mormugao constituency), Leo Rodrigues (Dabolim constituency) and Girish Borker (Vasco constituency) getting opportunities to serve as MMC chairperson, the next chairperson was to be from the Mormugao Constituency represented by Sankalp Amonkar.
While it was being speculated that former minister Milind Naik is keen to have one of his councillors as the next chairperson, things could change if Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar extends an olive branch to Carlos Almeida who could convince his councillors to support Amonkar in the future and takes the support of Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar and Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho.
However, the uncertainty will continue and people would be closely watching to see how the political equation changes, when the tenure of the present MMC Chairperson Girish Borker is expected to end in June as per the pre-decided arrangement.
