TEAM HERLAD
MARGAO: South Goa ZP Chairperson Nelly Rodrigues has created a record of sorts by winning the Zilla Panchayat election from Colva for the fourth time in a row.
Nelly had been representing the Colva ZP seat since the creation of the Zilla Panchayats in the state in 2000. She had won the seat in 2005 with the highest margin and the 2010 election unopposed.
Successfully, overcoming the challenge thrown by her opponents on emotive issues such as Ghar Vapsi and beef shortage this time round, Nelly defeated her close rival Marcus D’Souza by 2358 votes. Nelly later told the media that people of Colva constituency did not fall prey to the false propaganda unleashed by her opponents. “There was false propaganda made against me just because I was contesting on the GVP which had an alliance with the BJP. Even SMS messages were sent to the voters saying that candidates contesting on the alliance banner will be cursed. But, the voters knew Nelly well. I have not done anything wrong to my voters in the last 15 years. The people did not fall prey to the false propaganda launched by my opponents”, she said.
Asserting that she was always opposed to elections on party lines, but had to contest on the GVP banner since the government had promised devolution of funds to the ZPs, Nelly said she would continue her fight for the devolution of funds and powers to the district Panchayat bodies.
