Citizen candidates’ groups gear up for next polls

“Until now,we were working at a macro level in the city. Now,our strategy is to work at the micro level and build support,” he added.

This year’s election had close to 70 citizens’ candidate from platforms such as Mumbai 227,Mumbai Nagrik Satta,Mumbai Nagrik Manch and other Independents backed by local residents’ forums and NGOs. However,only one such candidate,Makrand Narvekar,won from ward 227.

Like Mumbai 227,Mumbai Nagrik Manch also plans to focus on working at the grassroots and create an identity for the platform. “We didn’t have any collective identity like political parties. We have to work for the next five years on creating that,” said its spokesperson Hansel D’Souza. “We are having a review meeting in Vile Parle and will concentrate on some basic issues and see how we can take them up with the new corporation,” he said.

Besides,Mumbai Nagrik Manch is also in touch with the Loksatta Party,which fielded 14 candidates from non-political backgrounds,to consider collaboration with the party in its work.

Adolf D’Souza,who was Mumbai’s first citizens’ candidate to be elected,lost in ward 60 this time. “We have to now at least sit together and decide how to take the citizens’ candidate concept ahead,” said D’Souza,who floated the Mumbai Nagrik Satta. “If there is an alternative to the political party system,it has to be a consensus citizens’ candidate.”

However,despite the defeat,most platforms are still not ready to subscribe to the idea of a consensus citizens’ candidate,which means having one best citizens’ candidate from every ward instead of multiple candidates,which experts say was a major reason for the washout.

“I am a proponent of having two or three good Independent candidates from each ward. Every ward deserves that choice,” added Awatramani.