NT NETWORK

Panaji

After the Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly Rajesh Patnekar and the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant turned down request for curtailing the budget session, as sought by the united opposition in view of the model code of conduct which is in force for the municipal elections, the united opposition on Thursday knocked the doors of the Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and the State Election Commissioner W V Ramanamurthy.

The united opposition led by Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, on Thursday, met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and urged him to direct the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to table annual financial statement and seek vote on account in Goa Legislative Assembly in first two days and adjourn the House till the process of all municipal elections was over.

They submitted a memorandum to the Governor and sought his early intervention so that the model code of conduct imposed for civic polls is not violated.

Kamat was accompanied by MGP MLA Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar, Goa Forward Party chief and MLA Vijai Sardesai, Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar and NCP state president Jose Philip D’Souza.

After meeting the Governor, Kamat told the reporters that they have explained to the Governor how a longer session will violate the model code of conduct and can influence the voters of the remaining five municipalities.

Sardesai alleged that the Pramod Sawant-led government wants to win the civic polls by any means.

The delegation of united opposition later also met the newly-appointed State Election Commissioner W V Ramanamurthy and submitted a representation as regards curtailing of the Assembly session as model code of conduct is likely to be in force in the state during the budget session scheduled from March 24 to April 16.

Kamat and Sardesai told the reporters that they have also requested the State Election Commissioner to have simultaneous counting of both phases of municipal polls as results of one phase will have impact on the elections to remaining five civic bodies.