Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai with outgoing MMC Chairperson Pooja Naik in Ward No 4, which is reserved for OBC post SC judgement.
MARGAO
Swapping and shifting of candidates and bringing in kith and kin seems to be the mantra adopted by political bigwigs for the ensuing polls to the Margao Municipal Council post SC judgement on reservation of wards.
Amongst three major camps, the Goa Forward Party has swapped candidates in four municipal wards. The BJP-backed Vibrant Margao also seems to have allowed local satraps to field their kith and kin in the fray following changes in fresh reservation of wards. Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat is still juggling and weighing options in shifting his candidates from one ward to another as the last date for filing nomination papers draws near.
A classic case of candidate swapping can be seen in Ward No 2 & 3, besides 4 & 23 by the Goa Forward Party. When Ward No 2 was reserved for OBC as per the first notification, Goa Forward supremo did not waste much time and got sitting Councilor Lyndon Pereira to move to Ward No 3, a General category ward. Former councillor Johnny Crasto, who was GF’s candidate in Ward No 3 was told to move into Ward No 2 reserved for the OBC.
Post Supreme Court judgement on reservation of wards, the Goa Forward once again swapped its women candidates. Outgoing Municipal chairperson Pooja Naik, who had filed her papers from Ward No 23 will not contest from Ward No 4, reserved for OBC. Nimesia Faleiro, who was Goa Forward candidate in Ward No 4 will now move to the ST reserved Ward No 23.
The Goa Forward chief has accompanied candidates after swapping in their door-to-door campaigning. Speaking to residents, Vijai said that he chose Crasto and Lyndon because they represent the cherished values of Fatorda — honesty, accessibility and commitment.
“I have full faith in Crasto and Lyndon, and I know for sure that they will work hard and fulfil all the needs of the people”, he said.
The Goa Forward has also batted for the kith and kin of party leaders to tide over the situation thrown up by the ward reservation. The party had declared Sujay Lotllikar in Ward No 5, but since the ward is reserved for women, Sardesai has now given the go-ahead to field Sujay’s wife from the ward.
Similarly, the party has brought in three-time councillor Raju Naik to contest from Ward No 11 in place of his daughter after the ward was de-reserved for women.
The BJP-backed Vibrant Margao has also given its nod to field kith and kin of candidates. Deputy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar’s brother Rajendra Ajgaonkar has been finalized to contest from Ward No 14. However, after the ward was reserved for SC (Women), the Ajgaonkars have fielded Rajendra’s daughter Ronita from the ward.
Similarly, the Vibrant Margao has also given its stamp of approval for the candidature of city-BJP leader Ketan Kurtarkar’s sister Dr Sushanta Kurtarkar from Ward No 13. Ketan’s candidature was approved by the party, before Ward No 13 was reserved for women post SC judgement on ward reservations.
Vibrant Margao’s candidate, former MMC Chairperson Arthur D’Silva, who had started his campaign from Ward No 5 before it was reserved for women, has shifted himself to his home ward No 7.
Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat has also effected shifting of a couple of wards to beat the ward reservations. Sitting councillor Manoj Masurkar will contest from another ward after his ward was reserved for women. Similarly, a couple of candidates from the Kamat panel, including Avinash Shirodkar had to be shifted to other wards after the reservations. Former MMC chairperson Doris Texeira, who was left out from the Kamat panel after the reservations, is now expected to contest from Ward No 13 following the reservations post SC judgement.
