Goa Zilla Panchayat election:BJP wins 32 seats, Congress bags 5

NEW DELHI: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Goa on Monday made big gains in the Zilla Panchayat elections, winning 32 out of 49 seats on offer, while the opposition Congress performed poorly, bagging just four.

Voting took place on December 12 in 48 constituencies in the state’s Zilla Panchayats which have a total of 50 seats. While the BJP had won unopposed in one seat, election in another constituency was countermanded due to death of a candidate.

In the results announced on Monday, the BJP won 32 seats, Independents seven, the Congress four, the MGP three while the NCP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) bagged one each.

The AAP won its first-ever seat in an election in the coastal state, where the Arvind Kejriwal-led party is aiming to contest on a majority of constituencies in the 2022 assembly polls. Goa has a 40-member assembly.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant expressed happiness over the BJP’s poll performance in the rural belt of the tourist state.I humbly bow down before the people of Goa for the trust they have reposed in the Bharatiya Janata Party as well as the Govt of Goa working under my leadership.

“Let us shape a glorious and Swayampurna (self- reliant) Goa by taking ahead the same trust and confidence, Sawant tweeted.

Later, addressing a press conference, he said the rural voters have shown their faith in the BJP’s leadership and the state government.He said the party has won with “huge margins” in many of the ZP constituencies.

Goa BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said the results indicate the support the party has earned among the voters.The result also reveals what would be the result of 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election. We will form government with absolute majority in the state, he said. A total of 56.82 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the 48 constituencies where elections were held.

Goa Zilla Panchayat election results: 

BJPs Shankar Anant Chodankar wins Maem
BJP candidates Guirish Pundolica Uscoikar and Shankar Chodankar win Chimbel and Mayem seats respectively.
NCP candidate Vania Baptista wins Colva seat.
BJPs Sanjana Sanjay Velip wins from Guirdolim
Seats won in ZP polls till 1 pm: BJP won 13 seats, Congress 2, Independent 5 and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) 1.
Manisha Mahesh Naik of BJP wins from North Goas Aldona and BJP candidate Shanu Shankalu Velip wins Cola seat
BJP candidate Shramesh Sukdu Bhosle wins from Betqui-Candola while Suvarna Tendulkar, BJP candidate, wins Sanvordem seat
Diksha Dilip Kanolkar, a BJP candidate, wins Sirsai seat and Mahesh Anant Sawant, a BJP candidate, wins from Karapur-Sarvan
Congress candidate Assuciana Rodrigues wins Nuvem seat
Anjali Gajanan Naik of BJP wins from Taleigao
Independent candidate Antonio Vas elected from Cortalim
BJP candidates Ulhas Yeshwant Tuenkar wins from Davorlim and Umakant Gawde from Usgao-Ganje
Shidharth Shriniwas G Dessai, a BJP candidate, wins in Xeldem
Ranganath Kalshavkar, Independent candidate wins from Arambol
Independent candidate Kavita Kiran Kandolkar wins Colvale seat
BJP candidate Sanisha Toraskar wins in Siolim
Shiny Emilda de Oliveira, Congress candidate, wins from Santa Cruz
Domnic Minguel Gaonkar, an Independent candidate, wins from Raia
Independent candidate Pradip Shantaram Revodkar wins from Latambarcem in Bicholim Assembly constituency.
BJP candidate Sagun Sitaram Vadkar wins from Honda
Devayani Devidas Gawas of BJP wins Querim seat

Over 4 lakh voters exercised their franchise

More than four lakh voters, including 2,27,916 male and 2,21,972 women exercised their franchise. Nearly 8 lakh people – 85,222 males and 4,06,592 women – were eligible to vote.

Zilla Panchayat polls were the first major elections in the coastal state since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March this year.

The state had allowed COVID-19 positive people to vote in the last hour of voting while wearing full PPE gear.

There is a total of 50 zilla panchayat seats in Goa but only 48 went to the polls. Polling in Navelim seat in south Goa was cancelled due to the death of a candidate while, in Sancoale, the BJP candidate won unopposed.

BJP, Congress, AAP key contenders
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had fielded 43 candidates in the 48 seats while its main rival Congress nominated candidates for 38 seats.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) had fielded candidates for 17 seats each. There were 79 Independent candidates in the fray as well.

The election was earlier scheduled to be held on March 22 and campaigning for the polls had already been carried out by political parties, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.