MARGAO: As expected Congress won both the Zilla Panchayat seats in Salcete with very comfortable margins giving a boost to the Congress MLAs as their candidates Mario Christopher Reuben Costa and Moreno Rebello won in Nuvem and Curtorim.
In Nuvem Costa won by a margin of 2104 votes against Marcus Maria Pereira. There were 89 invalid votes polled in this constituency.
“I have to complete all the works started by Babashan, besides also joining hands with others fighting for more powers and rights to the Zilla Panchayats,” Reuben said, when asked what were his priorities.
At Curtorim, Moreno Rebello defeated his nearest rival Dionisio Sardinha, a rebel Congressman, by a margin of 1915 votes. In fact, Dionisio gave the Congress candidate a good fight in Curtorim village given the fact that Moreno led by a paltry margin of 137 votes at the end of the first round.
He, however, garnered sizeable votes in the villages of Macazana and Sao Jose de Areal and Moreno gave the credit to his workers and also the two MLAs Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and Clafasio Dias, who worked for him, while Phillip Neri Rodrigues was out of station. “My victory is testimony that people recognise hard work and want honest and people with integrity in politics,” he said.
Dionisio who lost the elections expressed happiness in his performance as he gave the Congress candidate a good fight especially in Curtorim village.
“Without calling for a block committee meeting, only three MLAs decided who should be the candidate and I despite being a District Committee Member was ignored,” he said explaining why he contested.
While stating that his opposition to Reginaldo would continue, he said he would have to take the government’s (meaning BJP’s) support to fulfill the promises made by him to the people of Curtorim..
Team Herald
MAPUSA: The BJP candidates Dattaprasad Murari Dabolkar and Mahima Mahesh Desai won the Zilla Panchayat constituencies of Calangute and Corlim respectively.
In the by-poll ZP elections held in Calangute constituency, Dattaprasad won with margin of 2176 votes. The BJP candidate bagged 6,392 votes and Congress candidate Joy Ciriaco Fernandes got 3,216 votes.
In Corlim, Mahima Mahesh Desai won the by-election gaining 5,905 votes, defeating Congress candidate Anisha Pereira who got 2,687 votes.
Dattaprasad thanked the people of Calangute constituency for their support. The post of ZP member was vacant due to the resignation of ex-ZP Member Shawn Martin who wanted to contest for Village Panchayat elections.
According to the manifesto, projects such as playschool, playgrounds will be taken up under ZP Funds in association with village Panchayat and MLA, he stressed. The MLA Micheal Lobo too affirmed that all recreational projects would be undertaken by the ZP Member, including E-Library for Calangute, which would be ready in next three months. Instead of making allegations, the opponent should work along with us for the development of Calangute, he said.
The Congress candidate Joy Fernandes claimed that election authorities did not provide enough time for the election campaigning due to which the candidates were unable to talk to the people personally. In Corli, Pereira, who was backed by her husband and panch Victor Pereira, was locked in a straight fight against Desai. Desai, contested on a seat reserved for women.
