Team Herald
PANJIM: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-backed panels secured an absolute majority in the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) and the municipal councils of Valpoi, Bicholim, Curchorem-Cacora, Pernem and Canacona, the results of which were announced on Monday.
However, the party suffered a setback in the by-election for ward 9 of Sankhali Municipal Council where the candidate supported by Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant was defeated. It was considered to be a prestigious by-election for the Chief Minister as the strength in the Sankhali Municipal Council is tied six-all and the defeat of his candidate could result in a change of power.
The consolation win for the opposition came in Cuncolim Municipal Council where candidates backed by former Minister Joaquim Alemao and his son Yuri Alemao won nine of the 14 seats.
Barring Cuncolim and a few CCP corporators-elect including former Panjim Mayor Surendra Furtado, the opposition Congress supported candidates failed to open an account in most of the municipal councils.
Even Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress president Pratima Coutinho lost the by-election for the Navelim Zilla Panchayat (ZP) constituency. Coutinho was defeated by two-time Independent ZP member Edwin (Cipru) Cardozo by a margin of 467 votes in a four-cornered fight.
The panel backed by Panjim BJP MLA Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate swept the CCP elections by winning 25 of the 30 seats while the rival panel ‘We Ponjekars’ had to be content with just four seats. One Independent candidate emerged winner.
This is the fourth consecutive term for Monserrate’s panel and the maiden victory for the BJP-backed panel in the CCP elections. This time the panel comprised old BJP supporters and supporters of Monserrate.
In Valpoi Municipal Council, all 10 candidates backed by Health Minister Vishwajit Rane won the elections.
Similar was the case in Canacona, where all 12 councillors-elect owed their allegiance to Deputy Speaker Isidore Fernandes.
In Bicholim, the BJP-backed panel won nine out of 14 wards and 11 out of 15 wards in Curchorem-Cacora Municipal Councils.
In Pernem, where highest 92 per cent polling was recorded, BJP-backed panel won six seats out of 10 while, two Independent candidates have extended their support to the majority panel. Former Pernem Municipal Council chairperson Vassudev Deshprabhu was defeated.
Most of the BJP-backed councillors later in the evening met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at his official Altinho residence.
