Team Herald
PONDA: Sunday saw door-to-door election campaign by senior political leaders for their respective candidates, for the Ponda municipal polls.
All the three major parties — Congress, MGP and BJP – have fielded candidates in all 15 wards of the municipality. On Sunday, their leaders were seen pleading with the voters to vote for their respective candidates for the development of Ponda.
Both Congress and MGP working gain power by dislodging the BJP that his fighting to retain power.
Gaining power in PMC is strategically important for the all the political parties, as taking control of Ponda municipality means strengthening their respective political base in Ponda constituency, which consists of Ponda town and Curti Khandepar panchayat.
Since Congress, BJP and MGP are contesting the polls independently, the battle for taking over the Ponda municipality is going to be tough this time for all the three major parties.
In 2013 PMC polls only one Congress backed candidate was elected, while MGP-BJP combine won from 13 wards.
This time, since the Ponda constituency is represented by Congress MLA Ravi Naik, the Congress backed candidates feel that they have an advantage over their rival candidates. Under Ravi’s guidance, the Congress backed candidates hope to win majority of wards.
Ravi has assured the people that if voted to power, his panel would solve problems such as parking, water, electricity and roads. He said that when he was minister in the Congress government, he got sanctioned Rs 2 crore for PMC, but despite having money the present council failed to complete the golden jubilee project from this fund.
On other hand, the BJP campaign led by sitting Councillor Sunil Desai is fighting to retain power over the municipality. Desai had finished second at the 2017 assembly election from Ponda constituency. This time Desai is not contesting the polls, instead he has preferred to strengthen the party by campaigning for the BJP backed candidates. If voted to power, BJP has promised to beautify the city, develop it in all aspects and complete the incomplete projects.
MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar along with Dr Ketan Bhatikar is seen campaigning for the party backed candidates.
However, former MGP MLA Lavoo Mamletdar, who finished third in the 2017 assembly election and recently criticised party president as acting autocratic manner, is conspicuous of his absence at the election campaigns.
“Last time, we had contested the elections in alliance with the BJP and won five wards. But the party did not benefit from alliance. Besides, the BJP failed to develop Ponda,” Deepak said.
