QUEPEM: In Quepem Municipal Council (QMC) elections Babu Kavalekar supported BJP candidates won 9 seats, and United Front of Quepem supported by Congress bagged 3 seats. Winning of one Independent candidate that was supported by United Front of Quepem in ward 12 got them total 4 seats in the elections. None of the AAP-backed candidate could impress the voters.
Quepem MLA and deputy CM Babu Kavalekar said, “After joining BJP, opposition said that Babu Kavalekar will not have same power as he had while representing Congress but today we changed the situation under BJP party. We won majority in Quepem municipal elections. We won 9 seats out of 13.” He further added that although it is not out of 13/ 13 but BJP has marked the presence. “It will become more powerful under this elected council,” he said.
“Our opposition has done many things to bring me down and they also said they will win majority in Quepem municipal elections but that’s not the case. In 4 wards we stay little behind but we will study on that and would make sure we come out strong. I always work for betterment of people, and I would be always there with people to do well for them.”
“Today we have proved that like Zilla Panchayat elections, in municipal elections also we dominated by proving full majority. In this elections opposition played many tricks against me but they are proved wronged by people,” he said.
The result caused setback to former-chairperson and six time councillors and present president of quepem congress block committees Manual Colaco as he lost the seat to Amol Kanekar by 83 votes. Former chairperson Alexandrina Catherina too faced defeat from former-minister Prakash Velip’s daughter Shreya Velip.
This time six new faces in QMC polls—2 from BJP, Prasad Phal Desai from ward 4 and Ganapat Modak from ward no 2; Four candidates from United Front of Quepem, Jakina Dias in ward 9, Nadita Prabhudesai in ward 10, Arlinda lacreda in ward 11, and Lourdes Fernades in and ward 12—gave an edge to the ones in old hat of QMC.
AAP convenor, Patricia Fernandes said that I expected the defeat in Sanguem Minicipal Elections (SMC) and she said, “Today most elections are done by illegal voting with support of money power and muscle power. People want money not clean politics or governance. But we will continue to do work because it is our start and long way to go.”
Alton Fernandes, Congress leader of Quepem said he is thankful to both who voted and not voted to them. “Our four candidates who won will always work for betterment and welfare of the people of municipal area and this is big achievement for us because with the three months this new Congress brought certain change which bring new dimension to new era in Quepem politics. Today this new look Congress brought 4 new faces in municipal council which are young and ready to go.”
Fernandes pointed out that in this municipal elections Congress declared panel but under leadership of Babu Kavalekar who is now 20 years in Quepem politics couldn’t build his own panel. He further added that they only got 4 candidates and 5 independent candidates are picked by BJP.
Further Alton D’ Costa claimed. We still have very good chance to form council and we will talk to them on this to form council in Quepem municipality elections.
