WOMEN TO FIGHT OUT IN WARD SEVEN OF VALPOI: MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

VALPOI: Seven candidates will battle out in ward 7 of the Valpoi municipality which is reserved for a woman. Interestingly, all candidates are focusing on Sayyed nagar with the sole agenda of constructing a water tank, which has been the main issue, every election.

It may be recalled that the ward was earlier represented by late Daud Ali Aga and after his death the seat remained unfilled for nearly 18 months.

Voters of the ward say that during this period none of the aspiring candidates bothered to visit them and find out their grievances.

Sayyed nagar has problems like poor street lighting, garbage disposal issue and most importantly, irregular water supply which is round the year. These civic problems are the main issues on which all the candidates are aggressively trying to woe the voters of this area. Interestingly, this seat has always gone in favour of a Muslim candidate. This time there are 4 candidates belonging to the same community while 3 are from other community which means there is a huge possibility of vote division.

With the second phase of campaigning being completed, candidate Ms Fahmida Khan said that the response from the voters has been overwhelming. Ms Khan, who is a teacher by profession, is representing the ward for the second time.

"I have been getting positive response from all sections of electorate. Issues like irregular water supply, poor street lighting and unemployment have been brought to my attention by the voters. This shows that people see me as a deserving candidate," she said.

She also has backing of youth organisations and mahila mandals, who are also doing their bit to garner support for her.

Another candidate, Ms Anisa Khan, who is confident of her victory, claims to have support from all the voters of ward 7. Ms Khan, who is a member of a mahila mandal and has been actively working for the last three years told this daily that this platform (mandal) motivated her to join local politics with the sole aim of serving the people of this ward.

"Being not involved in any profession I can fully dedicate myself to my voters," she said adding that with the support of her electorate she could easily solve all the issues in the ward through a proper channel.

Social worker and businesswoman, Ms Roshan Dessai, who is also in the fray informed that ward 7 is reeling under a lot of problems. Sayyed nagar in particular, being the worst area she said that the voters have been complaining of neglect. (NT)