The Times of India 18.03.2013
Corporation of the city of Panaji ruling, opposition want mayor changed
PANAJI: It's not just
councilors from the opposition panel of the Corporation of the city of
Panaji (CCP) who are unhappy with the mayor Vaidehi Naik.
Most members of the ruling panel who have been frustrated with the style of functioning of the mayor, want 'Parivartan' in the form of a new face at the helm of affairs.
Sources say, in a recent one-to-one meeting with chief minister Manohar Parrikar, most members of the ruling panel said that they would like to have a new person take charge as mayor instead of Naik continuing in the office. Naik completes her one-year term this month.
Election to the post of mayor and deputy is scheduled to be held on March 20.
The ruling councilors have rallied behind a young councilor Shubham Chodankar, sources say.
"He has shown some enterprise, whereas Naik has always been indecisive on every issue," said a BJP insider.
A councilor from the ruling panel said even in simple matters, she did not take a decision. "Every time, she is questioned she will point fingers at the chief minister," said sources in the CCP.
Parrikar was supposed to meet the councilors on Sunday evening to decide on the issue but the meeting did not happen as he could not excuse himself from preparation of the budget session that begins on Monday.
Immediately, after their success in the assembly election in March last year - the BJP-supported panel succeeded in getting two members of the Atanasio Monserrate panel with a total 16 members - to change sides.
Tony Rodrigues and Carolina Po joined hands with the BJP-supported panel that had 12 members. Plus the support of independent members Surendra Furtado and his wife Ruth Furtado enabled the BJP panel to get hold of the corporation.
The change brought down the strength of the Monserrate panel to 14.
The opposition panel members have also made an attempt to bring their members back into the fold.
Deputy mayor Rodrigues and Po are in no mood to change sides, sources said.
Rudesh Chodankar from the opposition panel is likely to file his nomination for the mayor's post whereas Bento Lorena will contest the deputy mayor's post.
The other two contenders for the mayor's post are Surendra Furtado and Tony Rodrigues. Whether Naik succeeds in getting a second term or not will be known mostly by Monday night, when Parrikar will trash out the issue. Tuesday is the last day to file nomination papers for the election.
Most members of the ruling panel who have been frustrated with the style of functioning of the mayor, want 'Parivartan' in the form of a new face at the helm of affairs.
Sources say, in a recent one-to-one meeting with chief minister Manohar Parrikar, most members of the ruling panel said that they would like to have a new person take charge as mayor instead of Naik continuing in the office. Naik completes her one-year term this month.
Election to the post of mayor and deputy is scheduled to be held on March 20.
The ruling councilors have rallied behind a young councilor Shubham Chodankar, sources say.
"He has shown some enterprise, whereas Naik has always been indecisive on every issue," said a BJP insider.
A councilor from the ruling panel said even in simple matters, she did not take a decision. "Every time, she is questioned she will point fingers at the chief minister," said sources in the CCP.
Parrikar was supposed to meet the councilors on Sunday evening to decide on the issue but the meeting did not happen as he could not excuse himself from preparation of the budget session that begins on Monday.
Immediately, after their success in the assembly election in March last year - the BJP-supported panel succeeded in getting two members of the Atanasio Monserrate panel with a total 16 members - to change sides.
Tony Rodrigues and Carolina Po joined hands with the BJP-supported panel that had 12 members. Plus the support of independent members Surendra Furtado and his wife Ruth Furtado enabled the BJP panel to get hold of the corporation.
The change brought down the strength of the Monserrate panel to 14.
The opposition panel members have also made an attempt to bring their members back into the fold.
Deputy mayor Rodrigues and Po are in no mood to change sides, sources said.
Rudesh Chodankar from the opposition panel is likely to file his nomination for the mayor's post whereas Bento Lorena will contest the deputy mayor's post.
The other two contenders for the mayor's post are Surendra Furtado and Tony Rodrigues. Whether Naik succeeds in getting a second term or not will be known mostly by Monday night, when Parrikar will trash out the issue. Tuesday is the last day to file nomination papers for the election.
