the goan I network
MAPUSA
Former Mapusa Municipal Council chairperson Ashish Shirodkar who has expressed his desire to contest the Mapusa bypoll on Saturday said he was not comfortable in taking moral support of present-day leaders, but preferred taking the blessings of former leaders.
“I don’t think I would want to take moral support of the present leaders because morals in politics in recent times have become very cheap and I don’t want to get involved in it,” said Shirodkar, while citing the example of overnight split engineered in a regional party in State.
“I have moral support of leaders who are no longer with us. I have moral support of former chief ministers, late Manohar Parrikar and late Dayanand Bandodkar,” he added.
The former chairperson who is also the President of Mapusa Merchants’ Association was addressing a news conference to declare his intention to contest the Mapusa by-election.
Continuing, Shirodkar said he was not propped by any politician and he was not in touch with any political leaders from the current dispensation. “I am not in touch with Health Minister Vishwajit Rane or any other leader of the present set-up,” he said to a pointed question.
He, however, said that dissatisfied workers and leaders from both the national parties were in touch with him.
The former chairperson said he wanted to capitalize on the resentment among the rank and file in both the national parties.
“There are people who are upset with the candidates propped up by both the national parties. I expect this split in votes will benefit me,” he said. He further said that the main idea to contest the by-election was to give an option to silent voters in Mapusa.
“The total electorate in Mapusa is 28,000, out of which 18,000 voters are silent. I want to give representation to these silent voters. They will vote silently and my campaign will also be a silent campaign,” Shirodkar said.
He said he will support any government in the State that was willing to take up issues concerning Mapusa.
“If I get elected I will support any government “ Congress or BJP “ that will work for the betterment of Mapusa,” he said candidly.
The former chairperson was elected twice as councillor but lost out to Tushar Tople in his ward in the 2015 council election in Mapusa. He also unsuccessfully contested as the alliance candidate on the NCP ticket in Mapusa in 2012 assembly polls.
