Goa: Two aspirants in race for Margao chairperson’s post

MARGAO: With Lyndon Pereira having completed one year in office last month as chairperson of Margao Municipal Council (MMC), moves to effect a change of guard after two more months as per an unwritten agreement among councillors, are under way by those aspiring to succeed Pereira.
Names of senior councillors, Ghanashyam Shirodkar and Damodar Shirodkar, are being tossed about as among the ones eyeing the post.
In the civic polls last year, Margao Civic Alliance, a coalition between Goa Forward Party and Model Margao propped up by Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, had won 17 of the 25 seats, defeating BJP’s panel which had to contend with just seven seats.
As per a “rotation of posts” formula worked out then, it was agreed that for the first 15 months GFP’s Pereira would head the council as chairperson while Dipali Sawal from the Kamat-camp would be the vice-chairperson. Both were elected unopposed. As per the agreement, it’s now the turn of a candidate from the Kamat-camp to take over the reins from Pereira and GFP to nominate its candidate for the vice-chairperson’s post.
Both the aspirants for the chairperson’s post had raised a banner of revolt against Kamat last year, aggrieved over Kamat’s failure in considering their candidatures for the chairperson’s post and conceding it to GFP.
A day before he completed a year in office, Pereira had created a stir by stating that he was confident of completing his five-year tenure.
“I enjoy the cooperation of my fellow councillors, and the MLAs concerned. I will complete my full term,” Pereira had told TOI.
He later retracted his statement and said that he was willing to step down whenever asked to.
Pereira claimed that he presided over development works amounting to Rs 10 crore over the last one year he has been in office.