MARGAO
Will any of the panchayat bodies going to the polls throw up a 'Pink Panchayat' “ an all-women panchayat body in the August 10 polls?
Only time will tell, so to say. But, welcome to Assolna village, where women are all set to outnumber men in the panchayat body during the five-year term.
In fact, it’s now a forgone conclusion that in the 7-member panchayat body, five women will make it to the panchayat body in the ensuing polls.
The reason is not far too seek. While three out of the seven panchayat seats are reserved for women, the ground reality indicates that it’s an all-women affair in another two wards, which will take the number of women elected to the panchayat to five.
In the remaining two wards, one ward is witnessing a straight fight between a man and a woman, while another woman is locked in a four-cornered contest for the remaining one ward.
Take note, the post of sarpanch of Assolna village panchayat is reserved for men and the male members, if elected from the remaining two wards, will have to bank on the fairer sex for survival.
A glance at the list of candidates shows that Ward 1, 2 and 7 are reserved for women, with Ward 7 reserved for OBC women. However, one has come across all women candidates in the general Ward 4, with three women Cedina D’Souza, Perinha Cardozo and Selima Colaco, the last two are former panchas, locked in a three-cornered contest.
Similarly, Ward 3 is witnessing an all-women contest in the OBC reserved ward with Dumetina Fernandes and Isaca Marcelina Fernandes locked in a straight battle.
In the remaining general Ward 5, woman Namita Acaria Periera is locked in a straight fight against Jack Revlin Ferreira.
Sources in the know informed that women, including first-time contestants, are contesting in the ensuing panchayat polls, in large numbers, not just in Assolna but many a panchayat body in the female-dominated Salcete taluka.
