Team Herald
PANJIM: Although the BJP has officially not fielded its candidates for the general election to the Village Panchayat of Taleigao scheduled on Sunday, some of its karyakartas are pitted against Atanasio Babush Monserrate-backed panel and other Independent candidates.
Monserrate, known as Taleigao’s strongman, has fielded candidates from his panel in all 11 wards, including a candidate who was formerly with the BJP.
The 11 Wards will witness 29 candidates contesting the polls, out of which, Agnelo Santana Cirilo Da Cunha of the Monserrate panel has been elected unopposed from Ward number 3. Of the total wards, five are reserved for the General category, four for Women candidates, and one each for ST and OBC.
The BJP, which is presently concentrating on the by-polls scheduled on May 19, has not decided to field any candidates from its panel. However, BJP spokesperson Dattaprasad Naik said that party karyakartas are in the list of contesting candidates. “In any way, the panchayat elections are not on party lines. We have also not decided to field any candidates from our panel except that our party karyakartas are among the other contesting candidates. We, as senior party workers, are supporting these karyakartas,” Naik told Herald.
On the other hand, the Monserrate’s panel comprises Regha Pai (ward 1), Terezinha Barreto (ward 2), Agnelo da Cunha (ward 3) (unopposed), Mahadev Kunkolkar (ward 4), Saraswati Murgaonkar (ward 5), Estella D’Souza (ward 6), Janu Rosario (ward 7), Maria Fernandes (ward 8), Raguvir Kuncolencar (ward 9), Santosh Chopdekar (ward 10) and Sydney Barreto (ward 11). Kuncolencar who was the only BJP candidate to win the Taleigao VP elections in 2014, has switched to Monserrate.
Monserrate said that he is fielding the panel for the fourth term with eight new faces compared to the previous panel. In the previous two elections to the VP, Monserrate’s panel won 11-0 and 10-1. “We will win all the 11 wards this time,” he said. With elections on Sunday, the campaigning ended on Friday and with this dry days have also been imposed till April 29 evening, which is when counting will be held.
