Panaji, Sep 9 (TOI): The decision to increase reservation for OBC community in the municipal bodies from 19.5% to 27% smacks of political expediency. The last minute decision of the government to increase reservation for OBCs has been viewed as an attempt to woo the Bhandari community.
The decision proposing increase in reservation was moved at the last minute, and after elections to 11 municipal councils were announced. The elections to 11 municipal councils will be held on October 25.
A source said if the government had planned about it earlier, than the bill would have been tabled in the monsoon session of Goa Legislative Assembly which ended on August 14. The fact that the government has to issue an ordinance, makes it clear that the thought came up much later. Probably this is done at the insistence of certain BJP leaders.
Deputy chief minister Francis D'Souza, who holds the municipal administration portfolio, when contacted, denied the decision is being made in haste and done at the instance of certain Bhandari leaders. "Not really," said D'Souza while replying to a question.
He said the decision took long as the difference in proposed 27% reservation and earlier 19.5% is big. To a question, he said the government had received representation from Bhandari leaders demanding 27% reservation for OBC in municipal bodies.
As per new reservation percentage, 36 wards out of 159 wards in the 11 municipal bodies will be reserved.
Elvis Gomes, director, urban development department, when asked to comment said it is a government decision.
A BJP leader said the issue never came up for discussion at the party meeting held two weeks ago when normally all important issues are discussed at the party-level meeting. The core committee of the party may have discussed the matter before government moved the proposal.
Apparently, BJP had change of heart after certain Bhandari leaders in the party strongly demanded 27 % reservation of seats in coming municipal elections.
The government has decided to give in, since it didn't want to be caught on the wrong foot as it happened on the sunset clause in the Tenancy Act. The sunset clause dropped last month after vehement opposition from Bhandari leaders and others.