TEAM HERALD
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BICHOLIM: Residents chose to infuse fresh blood in the Sanquelim Municipal Council (SMC) by electing 10 new faces in the 11-member council on Monday.
The BJP claimed victory and stated that six of the candidates backed by the BJP had won the polls.
Except for former Sanquelim mayor Riyaaz Khan, voters preferred new faces in the SMC. Many leading candidates were shattered at their loss.
Prominent among the victorious candidates was Dharmesh Saglani, who defeated former Sanquelim sarpanch Pravin Blegan by 29 votes.
Ex-councillor Pooja Dangi lost miserably polling just 39 votes, while another ex-councillor, Laxmanrao Desai, also lost. Anita Anand Naik, wife of a former SMC chairman, also lost from ward 11.
Speaking to reporters after the results, Sanquelim MLA Dr Pramod Sawant said the BJP had effectively won the elections.
“Six candidates backed by us have been elected, while an independent candidate has showed his willingness to support the party. The strength of the ruling group will now rise to seven members,” Dr Sawant said.
According to BJP sources, the six BJP-backed candidates include Upendra Karpe, Narayan Relekar, Nisha Pokle, Dayanand Boryekar, Damodar Ghadi and Dikshita Naik.Most of the victorious candidates expressed their gratitude to the voters for giving them a chance to perform in the SMC.
