Team Herald
MAPUSA: New reservations issued by the election commission have caused a major setback for BJP in Mapusa as the wards represented by BJP-backed candidates are reserved.
Ward 7 that was being represented by former councilor Franky Carvalho is now reserved for OBC, ward 9 from where former chairperson Ryan Braganza was contesting is reserved for women, in ward 12 former councilor Sandip Falari was positioned but now it is blocked for OBC while in ward 17 former councilor Rajsingh Rane had filed his nominations but now it is reserved for women and OBC.
Along with these ward 1 and 10 are reserved for OBC while ward 13 and 18 reserved for women, ward six reserved for women and OBC, ward three for SC and Women, ward 11 for Women and ST keeping Chandrashekhar Benkar, Anant Mishal, Tushar Tople, Annie Alphanso and Rohan Kavlekar from re-contesting.
Ex councilor Chandrashekar Benkar’s wife has filed nomination to contest from ward 2, while Sushant Harmalkar’s wife has filed nomination in ward 4 however now since the ward four is made general, it opened up chances for Sushant Harmalkar to re-contest. Ward 5, 8, 14, 16, 19 and 20 are open. Former councilor and Congressman Sudhir Kandolkar has filed his nomination to re contest in ward 19 and Swapnil Shirodkar who represented ward 15 have also filed nomination.
Micheal Corasco who had filed a petition in the High court for the change in reservations, the new arrangement has got him chances to contest from ward 4, from where his daughter had filed her nomination availing the first order of reservations.
Micheal Corrasco said,” I am happy with the reservation and will be contesting the election. I feel ward no 11 should have been ideally kept general as it was reserved last time but this time it has been reserved for SC as well as women. It could have been SC general”.
