PANJIM: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) will next week take a decision on whether to contest the upcoming Zilla Panchayat elections on party lines.
The Congress Legislative Party (CLP) on Thursday had resolved not to contest the polls on party symbol alleging that there is no level-playing field. The resolution was forwarded to GPCC for final decision.
In a press statement issued, GPCC President Girish Chodankar said that a special GPCC executive committee meeting would be called to decide the future course on the manipulation of the reservation notification and on the CLP’s decision in the coming week.
“The meeting will be held either on Monday or Tuesday. Our target and focus is to support the angry people of Goa to defeat the BJP candidates in the coming election,” he said.
Of the 50 ZP seats that will go for polls on March 22, 30 seats are reserved under various categories like women, schedule tribe, schedule caste and other backward class.
The reservations have been strongly opposed by Congress, alleging that it is done without any criteria.
“Congress strongholds constituencies, to name a few, Benaulim, Velim and Calangute have been reserved for OBC candidates, just to restrict our winnable candidate from contesting,” Chodankar alleged. Curtorim where our PCC secretary is seating ZP has been reserved for Women and Aldona, Taleigao and Penha de Franca have been reserved for Women OBCs, he added.
Further, the GPCC president said that Pale has been deliberately designated as a ST seat to make it easy for the CM to get his candidate elected. “This proves that the system is rigged with the intent to debar winning candidates fielded by the Opposition,” he alleged.
Chodankar said that the BJP government is cherry picking constituencies where the party is weak in to gerrymander the vote. “This makes a mockery of the democratic process and Goan voters’ right to a free and fair election. We strongly condemn this act of BJP government and reject the manipulated reservation,” he said.
