MAPUSA
With the new reservation policy putting them out of reckoning in their wards, the four former councillors of Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) are down but not out.
Keeping their personal setback aside, they have decided to focus on finding a new winnable candidate in their wards and help the BJP panel win in the ensuing civic elections.
“We are out of the race. Our panel will undergo a lot of changes. We will have to go back to the drawing board. The task ahead is to find a suitable candidate who can win from the ward,” said Sandeep Falari, former MMC chairperson and who is state executive member of the BJP.
Since his Ward 12 has been reserved as OBC (General), neither can he contest nor can his wife who was a councillor in the past.
He also made his intention clear that he was not inclined to contest from any other ward.
“It’s unfair to contest from other wards where our party has good candidates. We have a good talent pool and every one should be given an opportunity,” Falari opined.
Former chairperson Ryan Braganza, who is a permanent invitee of the BJP state committee, admitted that he was disappointed as he could not contest from his ward but was helpless as the officials were bound by the directions of the highest court of the country.
“My supporters are disappointed as I was a sureshot candidate from the ward. We will have to now select a winning candidate in the ward,” Braganza said.
Former councillor and North Goa District BJP Committee General Secretary Rajsingh Rane said the new reservation has come as a shock for the supporters.
“After the Supreme Court order, we expected that the reservation would go strictly by rotation. To that extent, we were ready for it and we have to accept it,” Rane said. “Now, the first job is to find a new candidate for the ward,” he added.
Former councillor and North Goa District BJP Committee Vice President Franky Carvalho opined that the uncertainty on the reservation put a lot of pressure on the minds of the candidates.
“I am not disappointed as I love to work for my ward people. The task ahead is to find a winning candidate, of the people and for the people. And the candidate must be someone who is a resident of the ward,” Carvalho said, obviously hinting at the opponent in the ward.
