Canacona.
Controversies never seems to end for the newly elected Canacona Municipal Council as in the latest instance a photo of the six councillors of the ruling panel which declared themselves as BJP panel met leader of opposition Digambar Kamat at his residence in Margao on Thursday; the photo of the six councillors meeting the leader of opposition went viral before they could even exchange pleasantries stoking a huge controversy in Canacona as to whose the ruling panel belongs to, is it BJP eor the Congress, many questioned on social media.
Immediately after the election procedures to elect the chairperson and his deputy got over at 1.00pm on Thursday the seven councillors who formed the ruling panel dashed to Panjim and met BJP state president Sadanand Tanavade in the company of local MLA Isidore Fernandes to declare their allegiance to BJP.
Before the photos of the new council meeting the BJP president could go viral the photos of the same panel posing for a photo with Digambar Kamat were relayed viral creating confusion in the minds of the denizens of Canacona with questions being asked on social media to whom this panel belongs to.
The photos depicted six councillors with the leader of opposition and local Congress leaders.
In one of the photos Kamat is seen putting a Peda into the mouth of Rebello.
Immediately after the photos went to the mobile phone of the chairperson Simon Rebello started buzzing continuesly with the callers asking for clarification on what is happening.
Realising the gravity of the controversy the ruling panel hurriedly called a press conference in the middle of the night to make their stand clear.
Simon Rebello in the company of other supporting councillors clarified that his panel belonged to BJP and will always belong to BJP.
“I wish to clarify that my panel belongs to BJP and while on our way to Canacona I received a call from Kamat who said that he wants to come to Canacona with his wife to wish him”.
“I informed him that I am on my way to Canacona from Panjim and I can meet him in Margao itself”.
Karmat is a good friend since long and no one should read between the lines over we meeting him, we have declared that this panel is of BJP and we will remain with BJP” ascertained Rebello.
The media briefing was done in a hurry in the middle of the night to do damage control as the BJP state high command was irked after the local BJP leaders brought the imbroglio to the attention of the state leaders sources informed.