SANGUEM: BJP-backed panel in Sanguem, led by former-MLA Subhash Phal Dessai managed to pull support of an independent candidate to claim simple majority of six in the 10-member Sanguem Municipal Council (SMC).
“If we take overall percentage it is great achievement for us with support from Narendra Sawaikar, Tanwade and Honourable CM Dr Pramod Sawant and without them this victory was not possible,” said Dessai.
Those in the BJP team include Santiksha Gadekar (ward 3), Sayyed Ikbal (ward 4), Pritee Naik (ward 5), Queiroz Cruz (ward 7), Sweta Naik Tari (ward 9) and Archana Gaonkar (ward 10).
Others who won the SMC elections are Romualdo Judas Agnelo Fernandes (ward 1), Messiah Da Costa (ward 2), Fouziya Shaikh (ward 6) and Sangameshwar Naik (ward 8).
Except for Romualdo Judas Agnelo Fernandes, Queiroz Cruz and Fouziya Shaikh, all the remaining seven councilors are new faces and basically youth which will open a new chapter in the administration of Sanguem Municipal Council.
The voters in Sanguem had kept their fingers crossed for the poll results in ward 6, where seven time councillor Sanjay Raikar was contesting against a two time councillor Fouziya Shaikh. The poll results however put an end to the long reign of Sanjay Raikar in the SMC after he was defeated by the later with meagre 18 votes. The other close poll result was seen in ward 1 where former chairperson Romualdo Judas Agnelo Fernandes defeated his arch rival Jervis Fernandes by 12 votes.
The highest margin of votes in the ten member council was however polled by Messiah Da Costa in ward 2 where he polled 270 votes as against his nearest rival and Ex Councillor Sandesh Narayan Kossambe who secured 54 votes.
BJP had initially five candidates who won from its kitty of ten. After the elections, it managed to get the support of Independent Archana Gaonkar from ward 10 landing the party on simple majority of six candidates. Except for Queiroz Cruz in the BJP camp, the remaining five are new faces. The post of chairperson is reserved for women and this would be a tough call for BJP.
