PANJIM: Altogether 402 candidates will battle it out in 93 wards of the five municipal councils – Mapusa, Margao, Mormugao, Sanguem and Quepem – to form the next council.
The elections to these five municipalities, which were caught in litigation over ward reservations, will take place on April 23, while counting is scheduled on April 26.
On Saturday, 49 aspirants withdrew their candidature, leaving 402 in the ring. Not a single ward has got any unopposed candidate or a straight fight.
Margao Municipal Council, where the MLAs Digambar Kamat, Vijai Sardesai and Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco have joined hands as ‘Team Goa’ to defeat the BJP-backed panel, saw 17 candidates withdrawing their nominations, leaving 98 in the race. Team Goa is, however, facing rebellion from Congress party workers.
Mormugao municipality, having the highest number of 125 candidates in the race, saw 11 aspirants backing out. In Mapusa too, 14 candidates have withdrawn from the race, leaving 81 in the ring.
Quepem municipality, with 55 candidates, also saw seven withdrawing their nominations. However, no nominations were withdrawn from the Sanguem municipal area. Total 43 candidates are in the fray from 10 wards in the municipality.
On Friday, during scrutiny three nominations – two in Mapusa and one in Sanguem were rejected by the election authority.
Winning these five municipalities is going to be a prestige issue for the ruling BJP, which won six out of five municipalities that went for polls on March 20. BJP had also won the Panjim City Corporation polls with a complete majority.
Meanwhile, five candidates are in the fray for by-elections to the Ward 2 of Karapur-Sarvan village panchayat in Bicholim taluka while ward 4 of Velim village panchatyat in Salcete taluka will see a straight fight, following withdrawal of nominations by two candidates.
