32 voters hold the fate of three candidates in a Bicholim ward! By Samir Umarye [EMAIL PROTECTED] [Herald]
BICHOLIM: Many candidates have contested the May 5, 2007 elections across Goa, but for these three candidates from the Velgaum in Bicholim it's a real game of numbers, as their fate rests upon only 32 voters including themselves! Call it the mistake on the part of the panchayat officers or the luck of the candidates, but the panchayat that is most talked of in Bicholim is Velgaum. In particular, ward number five with its only 32 voters. To add to this, Herald investigations disclose that even if on paper there are 32 voters, about eight of them have already left the ward for other neighbouring states. The three candidates who have filed their nominations are Gurudas N Chodankar, Akansha D Sutar and Sainath Bandodkar. "We were shocked to hear about the number of voters in our ward," was the reaction that came when Herald contacted Gurudas N Chodankar, a candidate who is contesting from the ward. "About six persons were aspiring to contest from the ward, but the number came down as many of the voters were transfered to the adjoining wards," Chodankar claimed referring to a young villager who chose to abstain from filing a nomination looking at the strength of the ward. The Velgaum Panchayat with 1530 voters and seven wards is situated in the mining belt of Bicholim taluka; candidates always try their best to get elected due to various 'known' reasons. Ward number five is the D B Colony of a mining company operating in Velgaum, and all the voters are the employees of the mining company. Ward number five which is now left only with 32 voters was actually a ward of 199 voters during the last elections. "The other voters were annexed to the ward number six and seven which now has a strength of about 400 voters each," Chodankar explained, adding "we contacted the BDO and we were given the assurance that the matter will be solved, but it was finalised and now nothing can be done as the notification has been already issued." "The ward will be revised during the coming assembly elections," Chodankar believes, going by assurance given by the government officials. Akansha D Sutar, another candidate contesting the elections, blamed the ex-sarpanch and the BDO (Block Development Officer) for the mistake. "It is the ex-sarpanch and the BDO who is to be blamed (it is they) who sanctioned and created such a small ward." "Inspite of being a small ward it will not be neglected if I am voted to power as I will always stand for the development of my ward," Akansha claimed, expressing her confidence in winning. "My priority will be the street lighting as most of the other basic facilities are provided by the mining company," she added. An ex-sarpanch of Velgaum panchayat, on the condition of anonymity, strongly opposed the move of the government, "It's totally wrong as the entire panchayat with 1530 votes can be equally distributed and each ward can have at least 200 voters," he explained. "It has been purposely done and neither the sarpanch, nor the BDO, nor the department has any valid answer to justify their move," added the ex-sarpanch. "Even if on paper there are 32 voters, about eight of them have already left the ward for other neighbouring states as it is a colony of the workers of the mining company. So we can have a voting which might not exceed 24," the ex-sarpanch disclosed. -- Umarye is a Bicholim-based correspondent. _______________________________________________ Goanet-news mailing list Goanet-news@lists.goanet.org http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-news-goanet.org