Candidates keep fingers crossed over reservation criteria
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, AUG 17
Prospective candidates, including sitting councillors are keeping their fingers crossed over the criteria that would be adopted while reserving municipal wards for the OBC and ST candidates for the forthcoming polls for the civic bodies.
While Urban Development Minister, Joaquim Alemao has made it clear that four wards would be reserved for OBCs and two for STs in A Class municipal bodies, it is not known how the authorities would go about reserving certain wards for candidates belonging to these two communities.
When this question was posed to Urban Development Minister, he said that the reservations will be implemented through rotation. But, when further asked how the wards will be reserved for OBCs or STs in the absence of full-proof information about their location in certain wards, Alemao said that this aspect will be looked after by the State Election Commission.
In Margao, questions are raised in the corridors of the civic body over aspects relating to reservations as the issue may mar the prospect of many a candidate in the ensuing polls.
In the BJP camp, all eyes are focused on its youth leader, Rupesh Mahatme, who is being upon as the candidate against Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat in the next Assembly hustings. It is not out of place to mention here that Mahatme, a former Councilor, bowed out of the fray in the last Municipal polls after his ward was reserved for women.
Now, with the government opting for reservations for the OBCs and STs, the axe may again fall on Mahatme not just because there is a sizeable presence of OBCs in his ward, but if the powers that be had their way.
An unfazed Mahatme, however, says there are a couple of municipal wards where the OBC presence is sizeable, adding that he would cross the bridge when it comes.
Wards such as Housing Board, Khareband, Sirvodem, Colmorod, Comba, Aquem, besides Malbhat have a sizeable OBC presence, said sources in the know.
As far as the ST reservations concerned, all eyes are focused on the two wards of Borda and Chandrawado. Borda has gained importance since the son of former MLA and Minister Luis Alex Cardozo is planning to contest the Municipal polls from the ward. If reserved for a ST candidate, candidates from other communities will have to stay out of the fray.
Former Municipal Chairperson Piedade Noronha, the bete noire of GPCC general secretary Vijay Sardesai, may in all probability re-contest from Chandrawado. It remains to be seen whether the powers that be gives their nod for reservation of the ward for the ST community or notify the same as a general one.
