TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
OLD GOA: Suman Dhulapkar, wife of former sarpanch late Purshottam Dhulapkar, defeated Chandan Kerkar by 10 votes on Monday to win the by-elections to Ward 5 of Corlim Panchayat.
The polling was held on Sunday, while the counting of votes was taken up at the Mamlatdar’s office in Panjim on Monday. The by-election to Ward 5 was necessitated following the death of panch Pursohttam Dhulapkar in January.
Suman polled 186 votes, while Kerkar secured 176 votes. The third candidate in the fray was former sarpanch Onu Dhulapkar, who polled 65 votes.
According to sources, with Dhulapkar getting elected to the seven-member Corlim Panchayat, it will be a tough decision for the present ruling group to decide who will be the next Sarpanch as the post is reserved for women and there are presently three women panchas.
Presently, Supriya Kerkar, wife of Panch Goraknath, is the sarpanch and if losing candidate Chandan Kerkar, brother of Goraknath Kerkar, had won the elections, it would have been three panchas from a single family. However with Chandan defeated and Suman elected, political calculations have changed against Sarpanch Supriya Kerkar, who may have to vacate the sarpanch’s post.
Speaking to Herald after her victory, Suman said her main aim will be to complete the projects begun by her late husband Purshottam.
Congratulating Suman, Deputy Sarpanch Victor Pereira said, “Purshottam was my good colleague. Now, the post has been filled by Pursohttam’s wife, all the panchas will get together and take the development works forward.”
Asked whether Suman will be given the post of sarpanch, Pereira said, “At present, I have a majority and we have a lady sarpanch. Now we have two more lady panchas, so I feel that we have to share the post equally and the present sarpanch has already completed a year.”
Asked how important it was to have an educated panch, Pereira said it was good to have an educated panch as it will become easy for her to understand all the government procedures.
