MAPUSA
Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza informed that only Mapusa Development Front, the panel floated by the BJP, was serious in the election as it had fielded candidates in all wards and expected to win at least in 16 wards, if not all in all 20.
“We have a panel that is serious. We gave representation to all the 20 wards. The others don’t seem to be interested in getting candidates in all the wards. If you are going to field three quarters of the total wards then that’s not the right message you are sending to voters,” D’Souza said, hinting at the opposition panel that has fielded candidates in only 16 wards.
He said the large turnout despite the Covid crisis was expected as the focus of the BJP’s campaign was to urge voters to come out and exercise their franchise.
“Its good people are coming out to vote. We are confident of winning a majority as the campaigning went as per the plan,” he said.
He said the election which was supposed to be held in October last year had to be postponed due to the pandemic. “We have been without a council for the last six months. For good governance, we need a council in place. Decisions in the interest of the public do not happen when council is not in place. Things should get back to normal.”
On the opposition charge that the government used the carrot of jobs to woo the electorate, he said providing
jobs was part of a continuous process of the government and it was pending for quite some time.
