MARGAO: Two-time member Cipru Cardozo filed his nomination papers for the Navelim Zilla Panchayat seat as an independent, with the seasoned campaigner making clear that he would seek the support of both Fisheries Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues and Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro for his candidature.
Cipru was accompanied by some of the Navelim panchayat members, including Sarpanch Bevinda Gonsalves and deputy Paul Pereira, besides the sarpanch of Dramapur-Sirlim village, Sanjana Chari and a couple of Congress workers, giving indications of the support enjoyed by the Independent candidate in both Navelim and Dramapur-Sirlim villages. The Navelim ZP constituency comprises of the villages of Navelim, Telaulim, Dramapur-Sirlim and Sarzora, with the last two villages falling in Minister Filipe Neri’s Velim constituency.
“I had won the 2010 and 2015 ZP election as an independent. I am again contesting as an independent since the ZP had adopted a resolution opposing ZP polls on party lines,” he said, while urging the people to vote only for independent candidates to fight for devolving powers to ZP.
He made no bones of the fact that he would approach both Filipe Neri and Luizinho Faleiro for support since Navelim ZP constituency has two MLAs.
Anthony braces for yet another
innings from Velim
MARGAO: Former Independent ZP member Anthony Rodrigues on Tuesday launched his campaign for the Velim Zilla Panchayat seat by filing his nomination as an independent.
Anthony had represented the Velim seat for the 2010-15 term. His sister-in-law Mancy held the seat during the current term, after contesting the seat as an independent.
The former ZP member made it clear that he would seek the support and blessing of Fisheries Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues as well as former MLA, sarpanchas, deputy sarpanchas and panch members and people of the constituency for his candidature. “As a Minister and MLA, I will approach Filipe Neri for support,” he said. Anthony had no idea whether the BJP will field the party candidate for the Velim seat.
Anthony said he had contested the 2010 ZP polls as an independent candidate and won the seat. “My sister-in-law also contested the election as an independent and retained the seat,” he said, adding that he has decided to again contest the coming polls as an independent.
