MARGAO: A panel of independents formed to contest the Margao municipal elections has alleged that houses have been systematically removed from one area and put in other areas for political gain.

"Ward no 5 and ward no 10 have never been reserved for any category for the last three terms. How is the government talking of rotation when these wards have never been reserved. Is reservation applicable to only other wards," one of the aspiring councillors asked.

He also said that if one takes a look at for example at Ward No 4 the houses of members of minority communities have been selectively removed from ‘Povacao’ and part of ‘Tembiwada’ and merged with Ward No 5. Similarly few houses of Ward No 9 only have been selectively put in Ward No 4 and questioned the logic of putting houses/voters located in different ward which is not in any way close to the rest of the ward and
putting it in Ward 4.

Mr Laurel Abranches and Mr Succoro D’Souza, also intending to contest elections said that similar mix and match tactics have been carried out in Ward No 9 and Ward No 3 where the minority community has been marginalised and sidelined. They also pointed out that the Muslim community in this whole episode stands nowhere and they are only forced to vote for whoever stands for elections as they do not come under any category.

Accusing the government of playing dirty politics, Mr Croydon Medeira, Mr Savio Dias, Mr Laurel Abranches, and Mr Succoro D’Souza questioned whether certain wards are inhibited only by men as there never seems to be reservation for women.