the goan I network
MARGAO
Reservations of Zilla Panchayat constituencies have left a couple of sitting ZP members high and dry and dashing all hopes of their plans to recontest the coming polls.
Former two-time South Goa Zilla Chairperson, Nelly Rodrigues, was one of the heavyweights whose Colva constituency has been reserved for OBC, leaving her with no option but to opt out of the coming polls.
The four-time Colva ZP member had never lost the ZP polls since the government held elections for the South Goa ZP body in 2000. In fact, while Nelly was all bracing up to once again throw her hat in the election ring, the reservation of Colva constituency for the OBS has left her out of the race.
Expressing shock and surprise over the decision to reserve the Colva seat for OBC, Nelly said it is a clear attempt by the ruling BJP to keep her out of the ZP polls to ensure that only a woman from the ruling party presides over the ZP body.
“I can say that the BJP leadership has deliberately reserved Colva seat for the OBC to keep me out of the election and from getting elected to the ZP Chairperson’s post,” Nelly added.
Three-time Benaulim Zilla Panchayat member Maria Rebello also echoed similar sentiments as the government reserved Benaulim for OBC. A former South Goa ZP Chairperson, Maria had geared herself to contest the ZP poll for the fourth time in a row, before the reservations scuttled her plans.
“It is a clear game plan by the ruling BJP to keep certain women out of the elections to pave way for its own to control the South Goa Zilla Panchayat,” Maria said.
First-time Zilla Panchayat member Moreno Rebello, representing Curtorim, who was also bracing up to recontest the election, has also been left out of the coming poll.
The government has reserved Curtorim constituency for a woman, thereby denying Moreno from re-contesting the election.
Moreno made no secret of the fact that that the reservation has denied all performing sitting ZP members from contesting the ensuing election.
“Not just me, but most of the performing ZP members have been denied the opportunity of going to the people again by the concerned MLAs,” he said.
Soon after the ZP reservation notification was out on Friday evening, Moreno’s close supporters from Curtorim ZP constituency met at his residence and they resolved to field a woman candidate in the election.
