Goa: Big blow for Digambar Kamat as councilors cross-vote in favour of Ghanshyam Shirodkar in MMC chairpersons poll

MARGAO:  In what is seen as a major morale booster for the anti-Digambar camp and a big body blow for the ruling BJP in Goa, non-BJP councilors at the Margao Municipal Council led by the Goa Forward party boss Vijai Sardesai successfully checkmated Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Cong-turned-BJP MLA Digambar Kamat in their bid to get the BJP to power in the civic body after a gap of 17 years when the ruling BJP candidate bit the dust in Friday’s election for the post of MMC Chairperson.

The election result is a clear indication that the ruling party did not vote as a cohesive unit despite last minute efforts by the CM to ensure the original and neo-BJP Councilors gel well and unitedly vote for the party-backed candidate Damu.

It is learnt that BJP Councilor Sagun Naik led the revolt against Damodar Shirodkar and orchestrated the coup at midnight post-meeting with the Chief Minister at Circuit House.

A series of meetings were held post 2am at Comba at the residence of Sagun Naik to defeat Damodar Shirodkar.

Sources said that many councilors, including BJP-affiliated ones cross-voted in favor of Ghanshyam Shirodkar in an apparent snub to Digambar Kamat.