PANJIM: The stage is set for an electoral battle in six municipal councils, the lone Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), by-poll in Navelim Zilla Panchayat (ZP), ward 9 of Sankhalim Municipal Council and 18 wards of different village panchayats on Saturday.
Polling will be held from 8am to 5pm while, COVID-19 infected voters will be allowed to vote between 4pm and 5pm at their respective polling booths.
Goa State Election Commission (GSEC) secretary Melvyn Vaz said that 16,926 voters will cast their votes for 30 wards of CCP while, 64,516 electors will exercise their franchise in six municipal councils. Similarly, 15,566 voters will vote for Navelim Zilla Panchayat (ZP) seat, which was necessitated due to the death of the then Congress candidate Jose Santa Rita Coelho.
The municipal polls had assumed importance following allegations over the issue of delimitation and reservation of wards. Though municipal elections are not fought on party lines, the fight is mainly between candidates supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, the latter fighting for its political relevance after its poor performance in the ZP elections held in December last.
Five candidates, one in Valpoi Municipal Council and four in various village panchayats have already been declared elected unopposed. Nirmala Sakhalkar was elected unopposed from ward 8 of Valpoi Municipal Council, while Vitho Varak (ward 2) of Mauxi panchayat and Nikita Narvekar (ward 3) of Bhironda panchayat in Sattari taluka; Stefanie Lucas (ward 2) of Chicalim panchayat in Mormugao taluka and Prakash Gaonkar (ward 7) of Rivona panchayat were also elected unopposed.
In all 95 candidates are vying for 30 seats of CCP where the main fight is between candidates backed by Panjim BJP MLA Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate and the ‘We Ponjekar’ panel supported by a group of prominent city citizens led by former Mayor Surendra Furtado.
There will be straight fight in 13 wards and a triangular battle in eight wards of CCP. Also 16 councillors are seeking re-election while, 12 former corporators are also in the fray. Two wards 6 and 9 will witness battles between outgoing councillors Surendra Furtado and Kishor Sastry and Ruth Furtado and Soraya Pinto Makhija respectively.
Also, outgoing Mayor Uday Madkaikar and two former Mayors – Carolina Po and Vithal Chopdekar – are facing challenges from former corporators. Four polling booths 32, 33, 36 and 42 have been identified as sensitive booths.
The fate of 328 candidates contesting in 62 wards of five municipal councils, four candidates in the fray for Navelim ZP by-poll and 49 candidates contesting by-elections for 18 wards of various panchayats across the State will be sealed on Saturday.
Of the 22 wards of various panchayats, by-elections in nine wards are being held after sitting panchayat members were elected ZP members in December last year.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic protocols in place, campaigning was low-key and candidates mostly relied on door-to-door visits.
Meanwhile, polling teams left with material to their respective polling stations on Friday. For the first time, EVMs (electronic voting machines) will be used for the CCP polls while, ballot papers will be used for the six municipal councils and for the by-polls, Vaz said.
Goa Police have made elaborate arrangements to ensure free and fair polling on Saturday. A total of 520 police personnel – 270 in North Goa district and 250 in South Goa district – will be deployed for election duty.
