Goemkarponn desk
VASCO: Former Sancoale Sarpanch Ramakant Borker on Monday demanded that the state election commission immediately withdraw the Ball Symbol for the Panchayat elections and allot new symbols for candidates, even if it means delaying of Panchayat elections by a few days
Borkar speaking to reporters, questioned why the Ball Symbol, which is the symbol of the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP), was included in the list of symbols for candidates if the Panchayat elections were not held on party lines.
“I have got a symbol of Ball, and many Candidates across Goa may have also got this symbol, and this has led to the confusion in the minds of the people who have misunderstood that the candidate with a ball symbol is an RGP-backed candidate. Why should anybody advertise and promote the Ball symbol, and why has the state election commission not included other party symbols like Hand, Lotus, broom, Lion or Coconut? ” said Borkar.
“SEC has confused our voters with the Ball symbol, and people have even questioned me if I am an RGP candidate. The SEC has not done its job, and I want to ask them if this is an attempt to fool Goans. It is not too late, and the SEC can admit it’s a mistake and still change the symbol and replace it with other symbols for candidates who have got the ball symbol across Goa, even if it means a delay in panchayat elections by a few more days ” said Borkar.
“The Ball symbol has its own advantage and disadvantage because I am from a minority ward with a majority of migrants who may not vote for Ball while some wards which may have many Goans will vote for Ball, immaterial of the calibre of the candidates. While I don’t want to differentiate between RGP and other political parties, the ball symbol had begun playing with the mindset of Voters who had already questioned me when I joined the RGP. The SEC must correct its mistake, withdraw the Ball symbol, and give candidates an alternative symbol. The CM, Dr Pramod Sawant, must intervene in this matter and speak to SEC to take immediate action to get a correction done. Assembly elections symbol of political parties must be excluded from the symbol list of the Panchayat elections or Civic Elections in the state.” said Borkar.
