By the citizens, for the citizens

After the victory of Juhu citizen Adolf D’souza in the civic elections of 2007, there is yet another D’souza who has taken on a bigger challenge.

After the victory of Juhu citizen Adolf D’souza in the civic elections of 2007, there is yet another D’souza who has taken on a bigger challenge.

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Hansel D’souza (49), who has been voted the Andheri West Citizen Consensus Candidate (CCC), to contest the state Assembly elections, is a man who wears many hats.

A management post graduate from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Hansel runs his own advertising agency, trains management students and is on the board of educational institutes.

And despite doing all this, the father of two feels there is much more to do.

“For 15 years, I have been getting the garbage in my area cleaned, Juhu beach cleaned. I am sick of doing work which is supposed to be done by someone else. Now I want to get the job done,” he said addressing a 300-strong crowd gathered at a hall near SNDT Juhu.

After a two-hour open interview-cum-voting session on Sunday, Hansel was elected citizen representative.

He also took an oath that gives the Jagrut Nagrik Manch (JNM) — the platform on which the consensus candidate was selected — the right to recall his candidature if he does not perform and if 66 per cent members vote against him in a review to be taken in two-and-a-half years. “I will be guided by an advisory council and ward committee representatives who will keep me connected to my voter and his issues,” he said.

Right now, Hansel is busy strategising.

With meetings lined up from Monday, he has asked all his area representatives to gather every day 100 people who he will address at the meetings.

And what about the money for doing all this?

“Like the civic elections, we will pass a bag around after every meeting. What is important is whatever I do should reach and benefit the last man in the line,” he said.