MAPUSA
Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza on Saturday said the BJP has an advantage if civic elections were held on party lines as it had a good organisational set up in the State.
He also said he was trying to promote the youth in the ensuing municipal elections in Mapusa.
“The municipal elections were never held on party lines before but recently we had the Zilla Panchayat elections on party lines and BJP came out with flying colours. We have a strong organisation and if elections are held on party lines, it will be beneficial for us,” D’Souza said. “But we will accept whatever decision the party and the chief minister takes,” he added.
The Mapusa MLA was speaking to the media at the sidelines of a function to flag off a cycle rally near the sports complex at Peddem in Mapusa. Aldona MLA Glen Ticlo and Tivim MLA, Nilkant Halarnkar were also present for the function.
Continuing, D’Souza said he was trying to promote youth in the ensuing municipal elections in Mapusa.
“There will be some new faces in the BJP panel. I am trying to promote 4-5 youth in Mapusa. The youth have some expectations and we need to give them an opportunity,” he said.
He disclosed that he first contested the municipal elections when he was just 26 and Mapusa had elected many youth leaders in the past like Ryan Braganza and Rohan Kavlekar.
He further said that some senior councillors were very strong in their own wards and by default, they would be re-nominated as they will get elected whether their wards are reserved or not.
The Mapusa MLA further said his main focus was to make Mapusa self-sustainable.
“I want to take forward the dream of my dad, late Francis D’Souza, of making Mapusa self-sustainable. We want to ensure that Mapusa municipality can take up works on its own strength rather than depending on other agencies like the PWD…,” he said.
He said the Ravindra Bhavan project was stuck as the matter was in the NGT.
“Since Ravindra Bhavan was proposed in the downtown scheme, somebody has appealed against the downtown scheme in the tribunal which has delayed the project,” he revealed.
He said the Ravindra Bhavan was proposed in front of Bodgeshwar temple on the other side of the road.
He further disclosed that the land owners had also given their consent to the project but the file was stuck before the government.
