MAPUSA
While the more experienced and seasoned politicians such as Tourism Minister and Porvorim MLA, Rohan Khaunte and Calangute MLA, Michael Lobo have come out openly and campaigned for their panels in their respective constituencies, the other MLAs who are relatively new, including Lobo’s wife Delilah preferred to play it safe in the local panchayat elections.
The senior MLAs did the initial spade work of identifying and choosing the “best” candidates and then went all out to campaign vigorously for them in the field.
According to Tourism Minister and Porvorim MLA Rohan Khuante, like-minded people were required to be in the panchayat who can work along with the vision of the MLA in terms of giving development to the constituents.
“For any development to take place it is important that the panchayat and the MLA work together on a common agenda of development. That’s how we have been getting Porvorim to be a model constituency in terms of all the infra development,” Khaunte said.
For Leader of Opposition and Calangute MLA, Michael Lobo there is nothing more challenging then to float and back your own panels to the hilt and get them elected.
He also said that the electorate understands the pulse of politics and backs those candidates who will work for the village.
“We have fielded sincere and hardworking candidates in various panchayats in the Calangute constituency. People know who will work for them and will definitely back our candidates for the development of the village,” Lobo said.
Fisheries Minister and Tivim MLA, Nilkant Halarnkar is the only odd man out among the lot who has not fielded panels in the local body elections but has been working behind the scenes seeking support from people to his choice of candidates.
Among the newly elected lot of MLAs, Aldona MLA Carlos Ferreira and Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo have not fielded any panels for the polls. Saligao MLA, Kedar Naik has also not floated a panel but has been actively involved in the campaign in the two panchayats of Reis Magos and Nerul.
In fact in Reis Magos, five of his candidates have already been elected unopposed.
Aldona MLA, Carlos Ferreira informed that people should be allowed to elect clean and performing candidates and therefore he did not find it fit to field panels and impose candidates on the people.
“I have not fielded any panels in the ensuing panchayat elections nor have I actively campaigned for any of the candidates simply because I want the people to elect the best representatives. I also appeal to the electorate to come out and vote and elect sincere, honest, non-corrupt and performing candidates to be the panch members,” Ferreira said.
