13 Aug 2022  |   07:59am IST

Grassroots democracy wins as political parties claim credit

Change was the constant as many veteran sarpanchas lost; 82-year-old is the oldest winner, 72-year-old woman is oldest first timer; people have voted for better villages and a better Goa, but politics has still found a way in; parties and leaders started taking credit for their “panel’s” victories

Team Herald

PANJIM: Though the general elections to 186 Village Panchayats are not fought on party lines the political parties on Friday claimed credit that maximum elected candidates were supported by them. 

The election results gave many upsets as many long-serving panchayat members were defeated as the villagers chose new faces in most of the Village Panchayats.

 An 82-year-old Bhago Bhairo Varak was re-elected from ward six of Van Maulinguem Village Panchayat in Bicholim taluka while Rukmini Gaonkar,72 won her maiden election  in ward seven of Kirlapal-Dabal  Village Panchayat.

She is the mother of former Sarpanch Mohan Gaonkar.

Family Raj also ruled. Also, Sandeep Shet Tanavade, brother of BJP  president Sadanand Shet Tanavade won from Pirna Village Panchayat, while, Daniel Lobo, son of Calangute MLA  Michael Lobo and his wife MLA Deliala won from ward two of Parra Village Panchayat and Johana Fernandes, son of former Minister Dominc Fernandes won from ward three of Xeldem Village panchayat in Quepem taluka.

Savita Tawadkar, wife of Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar won from ward nine of Poinguinim Village panchayat and Josleen D'Silva, wife of Congress leader and former Velim sarpanch Savio D'Silva also won the election.

 The candidates along with their supporters were seen standing outside the counting centers. The mood was upbeat as winning candidates were garlanded and various panels claimed that they had secured a majority in the local-self bodies.