Party bosses will decide on new MMC chief, says Kamat

Margao: The change in equations in Margao Municipal Council (MMC) following Digambar Kamat’s recent switchover to BJP has led the Margao MLA to tone down his stance over the issue of selection of his nominee for the chairperson’s post, election for which is due to be held soon.
Replying to a query over the matter at a press conference on Friday, Kamat said it was a decision to be made by the party bosses “alongwith me.” Aware of the fact that his chosen one may not find a smooth sailing this time, Kamat said: “I am not alone now, I am a part of BJP, so the BJP leadership will decide.”
The altered political equations in the civic body had led to the ouster of Ghanashyam Shirodkar as chairperson recently, hardly a week after he was elected to the post, as 15 Kamat-backed councillors joined hands with BJP-affiliated councillors to move a no-confidence motion against him. Ghanashyam had defeated Kamat’s nominee, Damodar Shirodkar, in the chairperson’s elections. However, as a couple of councillors elected on the BJP-backed panel are also eyeing the top post, Kamat has taken a safe stance.
He further said that the Sonsoddo issue will be resolved as assured by the waste management minister Atanasio Monseratte during his last visit to the site. “A junior engineer of the MMC is deployed at the site, and a person from the waste management corporation will also be posted there shortly. The situation will be monitored on a daily basis,” Kamat said.