MAPUSA
A keen contest is on the cards for the post of attorney as the process to elect a new managing committee for the Mapusa comunidade will take place on Sunday.
While there is a near unanimity on the election of the President of the comunidade, a stiff contest is expected for the other posts that are up for grabs including the prized attorney’s post.
A relative novice in the comunidade politics, Dr Shivanand Gauns is pitied against Michael Carrasco who has been elected as a president of Mapusa comunidade and ex-chairperson of Mapusa council for several terms.
Incidentally, Carrasco has the backing of Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza.
In fact, the election to the Mapusa comunidade is expected to be a showdown between the panel backed by the Mapusa MLA and an independent group possibly backed by forces opposed to the local MLA.
Admitting that he is being backed by the Mapusa MLA, Carrasco said that he was not in favour of an election and would ideally prefer an unanimous decision over the posts.
“The panel I am contesting is Joshua’s panel. We are confident that our entire panel will get elected. In fact it will be a walk through for us,” Carrasco said, brimming with confidence.
“We were not ready to contest the election. It is imposed on us,” he added.
Carrasco said he has always performed and worked for the benefit of Mapusa comunidade.
Former attorney, Dr Shivanand Gauns said he was not interested to contest but some senior and eminent people requested him to take up the challenge and contest to save the Mapusa comunidade from being misused.
“I was not willing to contest but a lot of gaunkars senior and eminent members approached and forced me to contest,” Gauns said.
“I feel the comunidade should go into proper hands. I want to protect the comunidade from misuse. We want it to be in safe hands so that it is protected for our children and grand-children,” he added.
He admitted that it will be a keenly fought election as he is contesting against a stalwart like Michael Carrasco who has contested and won several comunidade elections.
“I am just a beginner. But as a matter of principles, I felt it is my duty to contest. Whether people vote for me or not is a different matter,” Gauns opined.
Incidentally, Carrasco and Gauns have been members of the outgoing managing committee of the Mapusa comunidade.
While Carrasco was the president, Gauns was his attorney in the outgoing managing committee.
