MAPUSA
Washing his hands off over the result of the Bastora by-election, Aldona MLA Glenn Ticlo on Monday said there was no BJP-backed candidate contesting the by-election in Bastora.
“There was no BJP candidate that contested in Bastora. In panchayat elections, I never support anybody. Whoever contests and whoever wins let them decide whether to be in the party or with the MLA,” Ticlo said.
The Aldona MLA further said that panchayat elections are fought by the people and not on party symbols.
“I never support anybody in panchayat elections. I have never done that. I never put a panel,” Ticlo reiterated.
When informed that the BJP-backed sarpanch of Bastora, Ranjit Usgaonkar and ex-sarpanch Savio Martins were present in the counting hall along with candidate Reema Morajkar, the MLA said they must have gone there in their personal capacity.
“They must have probably gone in their individual capacity. I was not involved…I have not gone personally,” he said.
Ironically, the by-election in Bastora was necessitated because the BJP-backed panchayat member Manisha Naik had resigned from the post after getting elected to the post of Zilla Panchayat.
And interestingly, ZP member Manish Naik had defeated Reema Morajkar in the same ward in the 2017 panchayat elections.
In the meanwhile, Bastora Sarpanch Ranjit Usgaonkar said the defeat of the BJP-backed candidate will have no effect on the panchayat.
