As political parties select candidates for 2007 Mumbai civic polls, an NGO is also gearing up to face the elections.
NGO will evaluate candidates on their non-political character
MUMBAI: As political parties select their candidates for the 2007 Mumbai civic polls, a city-based NGO is also gearing up to face the elections. AGNI (Action for Good Governance and Networking in India) is creating the first-ever rating pattern for potential candidates with a help of a professional agency.
The news has already reached the candidates who will be contesting for the 227 posts of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, and they have started knocking on the NGO’s doors’ with their resumes.
The candidates will be evaluated on a non-political character, using parameters like their public service record, declaration of assets and liabilities, criminal cases pending in court, source of income, reasonable educational level, work with local Area Locality Management (ALM) and consultation on spending discretionary funds.
The ratings will be widely publicised by the wide network of AGNI coordinators spread across the city. The NGO is also seeking the State Election Commissioner’s nod to paste the ratings of the candidates of a particular constituency outside each electoral booth. “We do not want to name the agency working with us to ensure a non-partisan approach. The BMC is responsible for 75 per cent of our civic needs. Only a big group of credible, hard-working corporators can bring in change, while few in number always remain isolated and powerless,” said Gerson da Cunha, convenor, AGNI. Pushing for candidates with higher calibre and knowing the need for better infrastructure, da Cunha feels the exercise will help voters judge candidates better.
Incidentally, the NGO has been on receiving end of criticism from political parties. But an undeterred da Cunha says, “We have a cluster of over 1,000 citizens who think together and vote together. Questioning our credentials won’t help this time as Mumbaities know this is a crunch poll on issues like slums, misuse of FSI, land mafia and illegal construction. The worm is beginning to turn. Political parties better note it before it strikes.”
But not everyone is buying into the rating methodology. “BMC polls are all about a neighbourhood candidate who has the ability to help out on basic civic issues. Voters are aware of their merits and demerits as the constituencies are very small,” former additional municipal commissioner Vijaysinh Patankar said.
Former municipal commissioner Sadashiv Tinaikar also feels that the ratings will have limited impact. “Some voters in South Mumbai would vote on the basis of the ratings. But in totality, it is the ordinary slum vote which is more decisive and the political parties are aware that their fate lies with this vote bank,” he said.
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