TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: “It is Salazar rule, back again,” a visibly agitated St Cruz MLA Atanasio Babush Monserrate told media after the elections to the post of CCP Mayor and deputy mayor were postponed, thus pulling the plug on the election of independent candidate Surendra Furtado, who was supported by Taleigao strongman’s panel.
Monserrate who may have been sure that his panel would be back in power after sitting in the opposition for the last one year told media, “It is a fraud on the people…All the people of Panjim should hang their heads in shame,” while leaving the CCP building accompanied by the independent Fatorda MLA, Vijai Sardessai.
Councillor Surendra Furtado was fuming, and called it injustice, vowing not to rest till this injustice was paid back in full.
The Congress Party also condemned the postponement of the Corporation of the city of Panjim’s mayoral elections calling the government’s 11th hour decision, a ‘murder of democracy’.
Its ally the Nationalist Congress party alleged that this was a suppression of democracy and the minorities. “What happened is very bad, very unfair…They have destroyed the democratic fabric in Goa,” CLP spokesman and Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, told media that the step was taken as the chief minister could not handle the municipality in his own constituency.
“I feel that the thought of losing the mayor of his own constituency was his biggest fear,” Reginaldo said, adding that both the party and the CLP condemned this action that they attributed directly to the chief minister and Panjim MLA, Manohar Parrikar.
“Elections were announced by his own government,” is he trying to say that procedures followed by his own government were wrong?” Reginaldo asked, pointing out that there were court directions saying that once the procedure for the elections had begun it could not be stopped.
The Nationalist Congress Party charged Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of suppressing democracy and minorities in its bid to retain control of the Mayor’s post in the Corporation of the City of Panaji.
Addressing media persons Wednesday, NCP chief spokesperson Trajano D’Mello said that the tactics employed by the chief minister clearly betrayed the government’s intentions.
“It clearly shows how he uses minorities and then he dumps them,” D’Mello told mediapersons while referring to the government’s action of issuing an order postponing the CCP elections Wednesday, given that the BJP backed panel did not have a majority in the corporation.
D’Mello was referring to how senior CCP corporator Surendra Furtado, who was set to become the Mayor, after receiving the support of majority of the corporators, especially the current opposition, was cruelly denied a chance to become the Mayor, consequent to the order of the government.
