Team Herald
SANKHALI/PONDA: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has managed to secure an emphatic win in Sankhali Municipal Council (SMC) and a desired victory in the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC). The results of the elections of both the municipal councils were declared on Sunday wherein 11 out of the 12 wards of Sankhali were won by the BJP-backed panel while Agriculture Minister and BJP’s Ponda MLA Ravi Naik-supported panel emerged victorious in 10 of the 15 municipal wards.
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All political parties exercised their might in the recently-concluded election as it was a fight for the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Minister Ravi Naik to retain their political legacy. While Ravi Naik managed to get both his sons – sitting chairperson Ritesh and Roy elected to the municipal council, the BJP-backed candidate sprang a surprise by defeating longest serving Sankhali councillor and former chairperson Dharmesh Saglani by 28 votes. Saglani had contested against the sitting MLA and Chief Minister Sawant from Sankhali in the 2022 Goa Assembly elections on the Congress ticket and lost by a narrow margin of 666 votes. Saglani had been holding the SMC fort for a decade in the heartland of CM’s constituency.
On the polling day, the State Election Commission (SEC) declared that the SMC had registered a record 87.56 per cent polling while 74.66 per cent polling was recorded in Ponda.
The candidates of the winning panels celebrated their wins by taking out rallies and spraying of gulal in both the towns.
The SMC chief’s post is reserved for women candidates while the Ponda municipality chairperson’s post is open for all councillors.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant while reacting to the victory of his party-backed candidates, said, “Discussions will be held with the party leaders after the Karnataka elections and a suitable councillor will be chosen for the SMC chairperson’s post.”
BJP State President Sadanand Shet Tanavade while reacting to the wins in Ponda and Sankhali said, “People have reposed their trust in the leadership of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and also in Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik. This is an indication that BJP will win both the 2024 Lok Sabha seats in the State.”
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Amit Patkar said, “Ponda and Sankhali municipal councils do not speak for the entire Goa. The perseverance of the Congress to win both the North and South Goa Parliamentary seats remains unfettered.”
Meanwhile, the State Election Commission on Sunday lifted the model code of conduct with immediate effect, which was in force in both the councils since April 8.
