Team Herald
PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar claimed victory for BJP candidates in the panchayat polls and said the results of the elections established that the party is the main force in the State.
“Panchayat elections are more satisfying than the Assembly elections (results). Except in a few pockets, panchayat elections have virtually established BJP as the main force,” he said after meeting the winning candidates at his official residence, Altinho, on Tuesday evening.
Taking a dig at the Opposition that had won more seats in the 2017 Assembly elections than BJP, Parrikar said Congress has been routed in these elections. “The most important aspect is that Congress is virtually routed, 90-95 per cent of our workers have got elected. Very few have got defeated. In some areas, where it is not purely BJP, candidates backed by BJP plus coalition partners have won,” he said, adding, “Let me see all the results but the primary indication is that we have won sufficiently large number of seats.”
Parrikar said BJP will take charge in a majority of the village panchayats, where results were declared on Tuesday.
He said the party believes in grassroots democracy. “I will stress that while panchyats should get all the support, they should also fulfill their responsibilities. I have made it a rule that money is disbursed to them in 30 days. Panchayat should do a lot of things. They should exercise powers and with this also comes responsibility,” he said.
Parrikar also said the State government will involve panchayats in the Swach Bharat Abhiyaan. In this respect the CM has decided to call for a meeting once Sarpanchas and Deputy Sarpanchas are appointed. “I will give them the task and also support them, all of them will be held accountable for non-performance,” he added.
Asked about the garbage issue in certain parts of the State like the coastal belt of Calangute, Parrikar stated that the coalition government has begun tackling the issue on priority. “We have already started tackling it. The Sonsodo garbage, which was piled up to 100 metres has reduced to 60-65 metres. I am not saying it is over but it will require another three-four months to totally tackle it. There was one group that tried to create problems but of course they will not succeed in that,” he said hinting at the opposition by certain groups on the garbage cleaning mission.
The government, he added has begun cleaning the dump sites even along the coastal belt and Panjim besides other places. “The (Goa Waste Management) Corporation will be active in two-three months in these areas and we will seek support from the people, and that is why I say we will require support of the panchayats,” he added.
