Team Herald
MARGAO: The panchayat elections have thrown up strange combinations in the neighbouring Chandor-Cavorim and Guirdolim panchayats. While in Chandor, a husband-wife duo is trying to ring out the old and bring in the new, in Guirdolim family members are seeking to give stability.
In Chandor-Cavorim, Felix Furtado, a retired engineer from Zuari Industries Limited is contesting from ward No 2 against former Sarpanch Derrick Braganza Pereira. Incidentally, at the panchayat elections in 2012 Derrick lost and the person who defeated him, Marcelo Fernandes was the deputy sarpanch of the village for the last five years.
Felix’s wife Celina Coelho e Furtado, a retired headmistress is contesting from ward No 4 against former sarpanch Etelvina Antao. Etelvina fought hard to contest these elections as she challenged the Panchayat Director’s order debarring her from contesting and emerged victorious and hence is in the fray.
Both Felix and Celina question the need to elect the same faces particularly when the earlier panchas have not performed anything extraordinary. They want the electorate to vote them in because they are not only well qualified but also retired from service and be able to give time to the panchayat.
On the other hand, in neighbouring Guirdolim former sarpanch and long serving panch Milagres Gonsalves is contesting along with two other members of his family. While Milagres is contesting from Ward No 2, his wife Sunita Gonsalves is contesting from ward No 3 and his brother Arcanjo Gonsalves is a candidate in ward No 5.
According to Milagres three of them are contesting to bring about stability in the panchayat so that the village can be developed properly. He said development suffers whenever there are changes in the panchayat as has happened in the village.
Since the panchayat elections in 2012 Guirdolim had four sarpanchas. While initially Vincie Peixoto was elected sarpanch, he resigned later and Milagres was elected sarpanch. However, Milagres was toppled through a no confidence motion and Sonia Dias e Fernandes became the next sarpanch. However she too was toppled and once again Vincie became the sarpanch.
Incidentally all three former sarpanchas are contesting the panchayat polls this time around too. While Sonia is contesting from Ward No 7, Vincie is contesting from Ward No 1 and Milagres from ward No 2.
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Election to Chandor ward likely to be countermanded
