MARGAO
A kin from the Ajgaonkar’s family has descended on the Margao Municipal battlefield and will be contesting from Ward No. 14 reserved for the Scheduled Castes.
Physiotherapist by profession, young Ronita Ajgaonkar has thrown her hat in the ring in Ward No. 14, the ward which was held in the past by her father Rajendra Ajgaonkar and uncle, Deputy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar.
Accompanied by father, Rajendra and city-BJP leaders, including Margao BJP Mandal chief Rupesh Mahatme and Sharmad Raiturkar, Ronita filed her papers from the reserved Ward No. 14.
The Ajgaonkars have fielded their kin in Ward No. 14 after the ward was reserved for the SC community. Her father Rajendra, a former MMC chairperson, was scheduled to contest from Ward No. 14, but had to back out after the ward was reserved for SC (Women) post-Supreme Court judgement.
Speaking to the media after filing her papers, Ronita flaunted her political connections, saying she belongs to the political family of the Ajgaonkars. Seeking votes from the people, Ronita said “I am a daughter of Margao as well as from Ward No. 14. My family had served the people of this ward, and I would like to do similar work for the people.”
Saying that the people of Ward No. 14 in particular and Madgavkars in general had showed their support to his father Rajendra and uncle Manohar Ajgoankar, Ronita made a fervent plea to the voters to repose their trust in her. “As a women and a daughter of Margao, I will do my best to serve the people,” she added.
Meanwhile, BJP mandal chief Rupesh Mahatme on Saturday said the Vibrant Margao panel floated by the ruling party will win around 8-9 out of the 11 seats at stake in the Margao area of the Margao Municipal Council.
Post-ward reservations, a number of theories have been floated that the BJP-backed Vibrant Margao panel has started to vibrate after the ward reservations and that we will not manage to win many seats from Margao. “I want to make clear that our panel will win as many as 8-9 seats in Margao area. All the BJP workers and supporters are working for the success of the party-backed candidates. The work carried out by the party in the last five years will keep the party candidates in good stead in the coming elections,” he said, adding ‘Today, our candidate Ronita Ajgaonkar (Ward No. 14) and Arlinda Rodrigues (Ward No. 20) have filed their nomination papers’.
