Two Independent candidates also backed off extending their support to Monserrate.
There are now 95 candidates – 30 of the BJP panel, 30 of the Monserrate Panel, 19 who are Congress-backed and 16 independents – in the fray for the March 6 poll.
On Saturday, the last day of withdrawal, 36 candidates withdrew their nominations, including Congress backed Krishna Naik (Ward No 5), Ricky Fernandes (Ward No 10) and Gregory Bothelo (Ward No 19), all extending their support to the Monserrate panel.
On the other hand, BJP failed to convince its rebels Ratnakar Fatarpekar (Ward No 18), Jyoti Masurkar (Ward No 15), Tushar Asulkar (Ward No 28) and Santosh Akhadkar (Ward 30). The saffron party nominees could find it tough facing rebellion in the polls.
There are eight wards in which it’s going to be straight fight between candidates of the BJP-backed panel and the Monserrate panel, while in case of the other 22 there are three candidates or more contesting.
Ward No 1 and 25 have six candidates each. Ward No 18 has five candidates followed by ward No 7, 16, 28, 29 and 30 having four candidates each.
