CANCONA: Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker and local MLA from Cancona Ramesh Tawadkar has worked out a strategy to maintain the BJP’s hold on all seven panchayats from his constituency.
Almost every elected member from the constituency seeks the development of his ward with the help of the ruling party; hence none of them are willing to distance themselves from the BJP.
Speaker Tawadkar met panchas from Painguinim, Agonda, Cotigao and Shristhal panchayats as part of the strategy to maintain the BJP’s hold on these panchayats.
He is also in contact with panchas from Loliem Panchayat, says a source.
Former deputy chief minister Babu Kavlekar has been entrusted with the responsibility of managing the Khola Panchayat.
Tawadkar has called a meeting of panchas from all six panchayats on Saturday, August 20. Citing that groupism may hamper development in future, Tawadkar has been trying to convince the panchas to stay united and elect their sarpanch unanimously.
The topmost positions in Loliem-Polem, Poinguinim and Shresthal have been reserved for women while the posts of deputy sarpanch in Agonda and Khola are reserved for women. Though 21 out of 59 wards were reserved for women in Cancona, as many as 26 women have made it to their respective panchayats.
Supriya Pagi from Loliem, Savita Tawadkar from Poinguinim, Saloni Gaonkar from Gavdongari, Pradnya Kamat from Khola, and Fatima Rodrigues from Agonda have emerged victorious from unreserved wards.
Though Gaodongari and Loliem-Polem panchayat has seen independent panels making it to the panchayat, sources claim they are in touch with the ruling faction and are willing to extend their support to the BJP group.