In the final tally the
Mr Antanasio (Babush) Monserrate (INC) panel 19 seats
Dr Wilfred A De Souza (NCP) panel 02 seats
Mr Manohar Parrikar(BJP) Ms Victoria Fernandes (INC)
Mr Somnath Zuarkar (ex INC ) panel 09 seats
However it may be noted that political parties
notwithstanding the panels heads have more bearing on
the elections. But it is clear that the Corporation
that will rule will be the INC led panel
Ward I Melita Manuel Afonso
Ward II Nazareth Francisco Cabral
Ward III Carolina Raul Po
Ward IV Levino Anthony Pereira
Ward V Bento Silvester Lorena
Ward VI Maria Regina Almeida
Ward VII Aldrin Basilio Soares
Ward VIII Nagesh Sidappa Karishetty
Ward IX Ruth Surendra Furtado
Ward X Surendra Cristovam Furtado
Ward XI Sadanand Ganesham Thakur
Ward XII Vaidehi Vivek Naik
Ward XIII Prasad Amonkar
Ward XIV Yatin Ramesh Parekh
Ward XV Jyoti Masurkar
Ward XVI Tony Rodrigues
Ward XVII Uday Vaman Madkaikar
Ward XVIII Uma Naik
Ward XIX Menino Jesus da Cruz
Ward XX Krishna Ramdas Shirodkar
Ward XXI Shushila Chandrakant Gawas
Ward XXII Mangaldas Puttu Naik
Ward XXIII Rudresh Vinayak Chodankar
Ward XXIV Diksha Mayenkar
Ward XXV Shantaram Purushottam Kundaikar
Ward XXVI Avinash Digamber Bhonsle
Ward XXVII Varsha Haldankar
Ward XXVIII Suresh Lamiman Chopdekar
Ward XXIX Rupesh Ravindra Halarnkar
Ward XXX Vivina Gokuldas Nasnodkar
It may be noted that the wards were re-constituted
after delimitation of the wards. Thus Panaji has 16
seats with Taleigao 12 and the Santacruz Constituency
2
While the MLA Panaji Assembly Constituency Mr Manohar
Parrikar played down the victory of the Monserrate
panel stating that it would not affect his turf.
Ohters consoled themselves stating that money was
distributed. This amounts to an insult to the voters
who perhaps voted not because of money but they saw in
Mr Monserrate a vision for the betterment of Panaji
city.
Incidentally the Panaji city will recieve a special
urban development fund for the development of the city
being one of the 60 cities selected under the central
scheme. This Mr Monserrate had planned to utilize for
the development of the city.
Most voters also admit in private that Mr Monserate is
a no nonsense leader. He was born with a silver spoon
in his mouth and he is known to distribute funds
lavishly rather then fill it in his own coffers as
others do.. Moreover he is rated as a go getter a man
who speaks only what he can do and this perhaps so his
commendable victory.
No doubt there are concerns about PANAJI AND TALEIGAO
GOING GREY FROM GREEN --- but not that the die is cast
Panjimites and Taleigaocars will see how Monseratte
goes ahead with developmental activities.
His period of probation is short considering that
elections to the Goa Legislative Assembly is round the
corner. Thus before December end 2006 Panaji will
need to be transformed.
According one "descendant" an elderly resident of
Panaji he believes that the litmus test of Mr
Monserrates panel will be to see how the St Inez
nullah will be transformed.
Fortunately the husband wife duo of the Nationalist
Congress Party that made it at the hustings Mr
Surendra and Ms Ruth Furtado have no qualms about the
emerging scenario and are confident that development
will not suffer.
With the victors being those "first past the post" the
margins are thin and sometimes pale into
insignificance in the sense that the electors can
hardly be called representatives of the wards . The
reason being that where the contests were not
restricted one to one the more the numbers (7 being
the highest for one ward) the votes polled by each is
a two digit figure.
Thus there are umpteen instances where the
consolidated votes of the losers far exceeds that of
the victor. To rectify such anomalies and ensure that
the victor reflects the majority of the electorate in
each ward that one represents it is necessary that an
amendment needs to be brought in the Election laws to
ensure that the victor is one who polls not less than
50% of the votes polled. This will ensure that last
minute candidates are not propped up as is the
practice now but only those who do service in the ward
over a period of time could enter into the fray.
Interestingly the antidefection laws are not made
applicable to the Village Panchayats Municipalities
and the Corporation therefore though there may not be
defections at this stage but after the results of the
next Assembly elections if the present INC led
coalition government is not returned to power and the
BJP individually or as a coalition comes to power then
this could trigger floor crossing.
There is also a prospect of curbing the developmental
powers of the Corporation as the 74th Constitutional
amendment which gives statutory powers to
Municipalities and Corporations ordains that the power
should go to the elected representatives after
constituting a District Planning body. Power to the
people to decide the development activities is what is
envisaged. Hence a pending suit in the Panaji Bench
of the Bombay High Court filed by ex Chairperson Ponda
Municipal Council Ms Radhika Naik in the late 90's
could be revived to stall the plans of the Monserrate
led panel if the BJP decides.
GODFREY J I GONSALVES
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
9822158584
__________________________________________________________
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