Babush-supported Furtado becomes Panaji Mayor
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 04 April 2013 11:26 IST
Surendra Furtado has been finally elected as the Mayor of City Corporation of Panaji, supported by Congress MLA Babush Monseratte.
Bento Lorena of Babush group was elected the deputy mayor.
Both were elected by 16-14 votes in a 30-member CCP.
The election had taken a dramatic turn with the same election, scheduled earlier on 20 March, was postponed last minute with government intervention.
The Director of Municipal Administration had postponed it stating that it want to examine the suggestion of keeping the Mayor’s seat reserved.
Chief minister Manohar Parrikar, also the Panaji MLA, had also said he wants to amend the CCP act to keep the seats reserved.
Meanwhile, all 16 corporators led by Furtado had approached the high court, after which the state government had agreed to hold the election on 4 April.
However, all their efforts of horse-trading went futile as none of the Babush group agreed to change sides.
The CCP was earlier ruled by Vaidehi Naik, the BJP corporator, till her one-year term ended in March.
Furtado, along with his wife Ruth, are the only two independent corporators in the CCP.
this is a mighty nose-bleeding punch by Vijay Sardessai to parrikar. parrikar through his employees of CM Staff was constantly attacking Vijay for last 1 year by using fake facebook ids. even created a fake cartonist for this purpose. all the attacks were cheap and below the belt. Vijay tolerated all. now in just 1 blow by Vijay parrikar is flat on ground. Parrikar defeated in his own home constituency. now anything may happen tomarrow one thing is certain vijay has shown parrikar his place. also congrats to all 16 corporators. They stood united despite all cheap tactics by parrikar. i can understand what troubles their family members must have gone through or are still going through because of BJP goondagardi. its because strongman babush is a match to parrikar thats why they could go through May you guys show same unity for progress of panaji.