PANJIM: With just three days remaining for filing nomination papers for municipal elections many candidates are expected to file their nominations on Tuesday, March 2, being auspicious day.
Angarika Chaturthi falls on Tuesday, March 2 and it is considered to be auspicious day in the Hindu lunar calendar.
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All 30 candidates backed by Panaji BJP MLA Atanasio `Babush’ Monserrate for Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) elections will file their nominations before the returning officer on Tuesday.
So far only one nomination was filed for CCP polls by Yadhaw Garudi Naik for Ward 28 on Monday.
Monserrate had already declared his panel, which is backed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) even as some prominent BJP members are keen in contesting CCP elections as Independents.
“We Ponjekars”, a panel supported by Panjim citizens are likely to file their nominations on the penultimate day, March 3.
“We Ponjekars” co-convenor Sandeep Heble said the first list of their 10 candidates will be declared on Tuesday while, names of all candidates backed by the panel will be announced on March 6. Also all candidates backed by Panjim Citizens will file their nominations on Wednesday.
CCP former mayor Surendra Furtado, former corporators Ruth Furtado, Nelson Cabral, Suresh Chopdekar, Ratnakar Fatarpekar and Rekha Kande, AAP spokesperson Melisa Simoes, RTI activist Sandeep Heble, retired government officer Rupa Dalvi, Joe Martins and Devendra Kuttikar are some of the prominent candidates finalised by Panjim citizens.
Joe Martins, an hotelier will contest from Ward 3, where Monserrate is fielding his elder son Rohit.
Two-time corporator Krishna alias Milind Shirodkar has also decided to contest CCP elections as Independent candidate. He will file his nomination from Ward 19.
Meanwhile, there are reports that Congress members are reluctant to contest as candidates of “We Ponjekar” due to presence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members.
Congress president Girish Chodankar said former MLA and Panaji constituency in-charge Dharma Chodankar, former deputy mayor Rudresh Chodankar and James Andrade have been given responsibilities to select candidates to contest CCP elections.
Former deputy mayor Rudresh Chodankar clarified that though he will not contest the election, he is coordinating with Panjim Citizens. “A call on finalising candidates will be taken within next two days,” he said.
