Goa: Zilla panchayat elections in October depending on Covid scene, says Tanavade

PANAJI:BJP state president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said that depending on the Covid-19 situation, zilla panchayat elections can be held in October.
Tanavade told TOI that the elections cannot be held now due to the monsoon. “Depending on the coronavirus situation, elections can be held in October. However, if the situation is still not under control at the time, then it could be postponed,” he said.
The state BJP chief said that there is no hurry to conduct the elections. “If we decide to hold it now, then people will hit out at us,” he said
Tanavade said that it makes no difference to the public if the elections are held today or tomorrow.
Tanavade said, “At the village panchayat level there are lots of works. If an administrator is appointed for a panchayat then he has to go to the block development officer to execute the work. But, in the case of zilla panchayat, there is no direct connect with the public.”
Tanavade said that as far as the zilla panchayat elections is concerned, all that remains is voting and counting. The election process does not have to be started afresh, he said. “We are facing this situation for the first time. If elections are held today or in six months or even after one year, it does not matter,” Tanavade said.
Last month, panchayat minister Mauvin Godinho had said that the new dates for the zilla panchayat election would be announced after the SSC examinations. However, chief minister Pramod Sawant later clarified that the government has no plans to conduct the election.
The election was initially scheduled for March 15, after which the state government postponed it to March 22. Even as the threat of novel coronavirus loomed, the state government was adamant on going ahead with it. But on March 20, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi advised social distancing due to the pandemic, Sawant indefinitely postponed the election. Modi then called for a ‘janata curfew’ on March 22.
A total of 203 candidates are in the running for the elections to two bodies — South Goa ZP and North Goa ZP — each comprising 25 constituencies. BJP has fielded candidates for 43 seats, while Congress has put up candidates in 38 seats. MGP, which has an informal pact with Congress, will fight the election in 17 seats. AAP and NCP have put up candidates in 17 and six constituencies, respectively. Besides, 79 independent candidates are also in the fray.