When the Bihar election results began trickling in on Friday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, along with other party leaders, was huddled in the South BJP office giving final touches to the list of candidates for the upcoming Zilla Panchayat polls. As soon as the trends indicated a massive victory for the BJP and the NDA, smiles lit up the faces of the leaders, including the Chief Minister. They celebrated the victory by distributing sweets. And why not? The CM knows well that the Bihar poll triumph will create a strong feel-good factor for the party ahead of the ZP elections. The decision to celebrate the Bihar victory at the constituency level further showed that BJP leaders were keen to carry the momentum to the grassroots. You know why.
Benaulim MLA seizes Fatrade episode to take on the Alemaos
It is now apparent that Aam Aadmi Party Benaulim MLA Capt Venzybab Viegas was waiting for the right moment to hit back at the Alemaos. And what better moment than the upcoming Zilla Panchayat polls scheduled for December? The wily AAP MLA seized the opportunity to strike at his opponents. For a long time, the Benaulim MLA had come under flak from the Alemaos over the constituency’s development. So far, so good—Venzybab preferred not to engage with his challengers. But he pounced on the opportunity at Fatrade when a JCB machine reportedly strayed into a CRZ area without permission, giving the MLA the upper hand to corner his opponents. Any questions?
Anti-Alemao, anti-BJP pitch sets tone as Venzy begins ZP campaign
With the Zilla Panchayat polls just a month away, AAP’s Benaulim MLA Venzybab Viegas virtually launched his campaign from Fatrade earlier this week. Not only did he turn the tables on Warren Alemao and his aides from Fatrade-Varca, Venzybab targeted a bigger front—the Alemaos and the BJP—accusing them of being behind the sand dune destruction. None better than Venzybab knows that taking an anti-Alemao, anti-BJP stance in coastal Salcete sells—and sells well. That he went all out to blame the Alemao-BJP combine for the Fatrade sand dune episode only underscores how strongly the AAP MLA intends to position himself this election season.
Girish’s entry into ZP election panel raises eyebrows in Cong
The induction of ex-GPCC chief Girishbab Chodankar into the panel constituted by the Congress leadership to oversee the upcoming Zilla Panchayat polls has raised many an eyebrow within Congress circles and outside. Questions are being asked whether Girishbab found his way onto the panel because of his position as a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member, or whether he was nominated due to his status as a former GPCC chief. Still, many wonder whether his induction is a clear signal that the party intends to bring all Congress factions together for the polls. Wait and watch.
No Cong district chiefs on ZP panel despite decentralisation push
It’s sheer coincidence—or perhaps something more—that at a time when the Congress national leadership is emphasising the importance of district committees in decision-making, the party’s two district presidents find no mention in the panel appointed to oversee the Zilla Panchayat polls. Their absence is significant, especially since the leadership had earlier insisted on giving district committees greater powers. That’s not all. The very panel set up to oversee elections to a district-level body—the Zilla Panchayat—contains no district chief. Interesting, isn’t it?
