Delay as model code could have clashed with Carnival
PANAJI
Panaji is set for civic elections in mid-March. The State Election Commissioner, Menino D’Souza, IAS (Retd), will announce the schedule on February 16 at a press conference which will be held at 11 am at the Commission’s office in Altinho.
The announcement was reportedly delayed by a few days as the Model Code of Conduct would have clashed with Carnival celebrations. The Carnival events in Panaji are organised and controlled by the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP).
The elections are expected to be politically charged. Revenue Minister Atanasio Babush Monserrate wields strong influence over the CCP and his supporters have been dominating the civic body for nearly two decades.
The polls this year will test his grip on Panaji and Taleigao politics where has long been seen as the power centre with a network across wards.
Opponents, primarily Utpal Parrikar, Surendra Furtado and Taleigao hopeful Dattaprasad Naik, accuse him of using his powers as a member of the Pramod Sawant cabinet to influence the official machinery including the delimitation of wards and the reservation matrix.
The delay in announcing the schedule has already raised eyebrows with critics saying the timing was adjusted to suit political interests. The Carnival, a major cultural event, became a factor in the decision and the CCP's role in the festival gives Monserrate indirect leverage.
Residents expect a tough contest and hope that civic issues such as waste management, traffic congestion, and casino regulation will dominate the narrative during the campaign period.
But the shadow of Monserrate unarguably looms large and his ability to mobilise voters could shape the outcome even as SEC D’Souza has assured that the process will be conducted fairly.
