Team Herald
PANJIM: With BJP reducing to a minority in the Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP) polls, which was termed as a semifinal for political parties ahead of the ensuing general assembly elections, the saffron party seems to be losing hold of the capital.
All its hopes also tumbled as it had reposed full confidence in first time MLA Siddharth Kuncolienkar under whose leadership the party widely publicized going to polls.
By the time the overall result was declared, within one and a half hour of the counting on Tuesday, the final tally of BJP’s Panjim First came to 13 while Babush-backed Panjim City Development Front swept to victory with 17 wards.
The saffron party is however refusing to accept its defeat arguing that it has done a good job. “CCP polls are not a setback for the BJP. We have maintained our numbers. Kuncolienkar has handled the election very well. I congratulate him. The result will not impact voting in Panjim constituency,” was Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar’s quick reaction post the results.
The MLA who himself was present outside the counting centre at Pharmacy College, expressed satisfaction over the results. “I am happy with the results. It is a way forward to us. We lost in 3-4 wards with a small margin,” Kuncolienkar commented.
The former PA/ joint secretary to ex-CM Manohar Parrikar faced opposition from the karyakartas when his name was proposed and finally selected to succeed his ‘boss’ in Panjim. party workers, who termed him as ‘arrogant.’
His bypoll win, people stated were emotional votes as their ‘beloved bhai’ had moved to Delhi and Kuncolienkar was promoted by him.
