PANAJI: With just few days left for the crucial no-confidence motion against the Merces sarpanch, Mr Prakash Naik and his deputy sarpanch, Ms Yogita Kavlekar, around 300 villagers from Voilem Bhat and Bamon Bhat met at Bamon Bhat on Tuesday evening to condemn the action of the three ruling panchas, who have joined hands with three opposition panchas to unseat them.

The motion is slated for discussion and voting on July 2. Speaking at the meet, Mr Naik informed the villagers as to how the three panchas had joined hands with the opposition panchas to oust him from the post of sarpanch.

He further denied having given a NOC for any illegal thing to come up in the village jurisdiction.

I have always supported the development of Merces village, he said and informed about the sequence that could have led to the three panchas moving the no trust motion

A NOC to a private company in Vaddy-Merces was the bone of contention among the panchas who felt that huge money has exchanged hands in the deal, Mr Naik remarked.

The sarpanch said he had only given a NOC to the company to set up a waste treatment plant and not to set up a call centre as suspected by the panchas.

Mr Naik asked his supporters whether he should resign or face the no confidence motion and the villagers told him not to resign but to face the no-confidence motion.

They asked the sarpanch to seek an explanation, before the motion, from the three panchas over the allegations levelled against him. The villagers also questioned that if the sarpanch was encouraging illegal activities in the village then why the panchas were not willing to come forward and prove the allegations. The deputy sarpanch and the panch, Mr Armstrong Braganza was also present for the meeting.