MARGAO
Flamboyant former Margao Municipal Council Chairperson Arthur D’Silva has descended on the electoral battlefield this time seeking election from ward 5 under the BJP banner.
Having won the civic polls from his home ward at Agalli in 2010, Arthur moved to the Aquem ward in 2015 to record his second successive win. This time around, the two-time councillor has decided to shift to ward 5, setting up a clash with Goa Forward Party’s Fatorda block president Sujay Lotlikar.
Known for his flamboyant ways of election campaigning, Arthur has already come under the scanner of his friends and foes alike even before the municipal election process could be set rolling. His opponents claimed that Arthur has been moving door to door in ward 5 with two sets of visiting cards, one with the symbol Lotus and the other his business card.
Opponents charged that Arthur has been distributing the visiting cards with Lotus symbol to the BJP voters, while giving the business cards to voters who may not be BJP supporters.
He, however, countered his opponents in his inimitable fashion, saying that distributing two sets of visiting cards in no way confuses the voters. “It’s true that I have given my visiting cards with the Lotus symbol to the voters since I intend to contest the ensuing polls from ward 5 on the BJP banner,” Arthur said.
On the allegation of distributing his business cards to voters, who are not BJP supporters and sympathizers, Arthur said he had given the business cards to many in the ward so that they may feel free to contact him for their housing or business needs.
“What’s wrong if I have distributed my business card to some and the visiting card with the Lotus symbol to others. My opponents know my strength and hence are trying to make an issue,” Arthur said.
In the 2015 poll, the GFP nominee Peter Fernandes had won defeating the BJP-backed candidate. This time around, Peter has made way for Sujay Lotlikar on the advice of party Chief Vijai Sardesai.
