The most ironical aspect of the Corporation of the City of Panaji polls, which take place today, is that the smart city concept is not on the agenda. This much talked about plan, put together by the outgoing Corporation, has failed to capture the imagination of the three major panels, as well as voters. And the reason for this lack of interest is the cost of building a high-tech city. Instead, voters of the city will have much simpler issues on their minds when they punch EVM buttons today. Although the pan-city issues like garbage disposal, traffic congestion and parking will be on the mind of voters, they do not occupy as much mindshare as localized ones like roads, drainage, footpaths, street lighting, steps in some wards and sewage disposal. A survey showed that over 20 per cent residents defecate in the open and this is a matter of concern. So construction of toilets will be an issue in some of the wards. At the political level, the main contestants are the BJP, Babush Monserrate and the Congress, which is hoping to make inroads and gain a foothold for the Assembly elections which are due in a year. With Manohar Parrikar out of the way, will the constituency see a realignment of forces? We will know on 8 March when votes are counted.
