MARGAO
History is in the making at the Chandor-Cavorim village Panchayat with as many as three out of the seven panchayat members set to get elected unopposed.
In fact, Ward No IV, V and VI will have no election on August 10 when the remaining four wards of Chandor village panchayat will go for polls along with the rest of the village Panchayats.
For, it is just a mere formality before the Returning Officer declared the three candidates “ Stefan Joaquim Dias (Ward No IV), Maria Sequeira e Menezes (Ward No V) and Hipolito Dias (ward No VI), unopposed.
Amongst the trio, Stefan Dias is not new to Panchayat politics after having been a two-time Panch member of Chandor-Cavorim village Panchayat. The trio have vowed to take up the work in their respective ward as per the wishes of the people and with cooperation with local Cuncolim MLA Yuri Alemao.
Though they pointed out they do not belong to any panel, the trio were open saying they will work closely with MLA Yuri for the development of their wards and the village.
Says Stefan Dias: “I was a two time Panch member between 2002-12. Now, people have again requsted me to contest. I filed my nomination papers after a nod from the people of my ward,” he said.
Asked what development he intends to do in ward No IV given that his election to the panchayat is now a forgone conclusion, Stefan said people of the ward will show him the work to do in the next five years.
And, he exuded confidence that local MLA Yuri Alemao will take up all the works proposed by him in his ward.
“Yuri’s father Joaquim was the Cuncolim MLA when I was a Panchayat member between 2002-12, wherein the then MLA did not lot of work in the village. I am confident that Yuri too will support me to usher development in my ward,” he added.
Maria Sequeira e Menezes is all set to become a member of the Chandor village panchayat as the Returning Officer received her lone nomination paper for ward No V. And, she pointed out that she would go by the wishes of the people on the development front and with the cooperation of MLA Yuri.
Hipolito Dias said a couple of candidates had requested him to stay out of the fray, but their requests came late after he decided to throw his hat in the election ring. “Whatever people of the ward tells me, I will try to do. Besides, I will take up the development work with cooperation of MLA Yuri,” he said.
