from daijiworld's special correspondent (MB)

Panaji, Apr 15: Ahead of panchayat polls, the panel contesting against Candolim administrator Agnelo Fernandes, who also happens to be member of legislative assembly, has complained of harassment to its members through panchayat and electricity department.

"Electricity is disconnected in the houses of  two of our contestant's houses while threatening calls and demolition warnings are raining on them. They are paying the cost of contesting against Agnelo Fernandes, who acts like a frustrated man these days," Sachin Kurtikar, who heads the panel, told reporters during a press conference.

Citing the instance, Kurtikar narrated how administrator with alleged connaivance of talathi and secretary managed to harass Sushma Naik to get her OBC certificate, mandatory to file the nomination form. "We managed to complete all the formalities only 15 minutes before the deadline. It is only after Block development officer (BDO) was forced to intervene that the certificate was issued," Kurtikar said while distributing the copies of the complaint filed with BDO.

Briefing press persons in the capital city, this afternoon, the panel members alleged that their family members are being threatened day in and day out. "We are just waiting for the election to get over for the safety of our panel members and their family," Kurtikar, a young leader from Candolim, stated.

He said that their main plank for the election is anti-Agnelo Fernandes and Anti-corruption. "Administrator is using all possible government machinery to harass rivals. Electricity department engineers are hand in gloves in his act," he alleged.

Stating that the anti-Agnelo panel was formed only to retaliate his dictatorship in the village, Kurtikar said that Candolim village which attracts huge chunk of tourists is turning shabbier every  passing day. "Garbage is littered on the panchayat boundry... There is no cleanliness and people fear to approach administrator," he said.

The panel members stated that even the shack owners, who stood by Agnelo Fernandes, all this time have revolted against him. He (Agnelo) is acting anti-Goan by protecting all the commercial structures constructed by non goans in violation of CRZ while he is axing those which are constructed decades back, Kurtikar said.