Status: Not ApprovedHEAD: 24_Goa_RPM_78 candidates to compete for 30 wards in this civic pollsByline: Ramit Mehrotra78 candidates to vie for 30 wards at CCP pollsTNNPanaji: On the last day of filing nominations for the upcoming Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) elections, scheduled for March 11, the total candidate count rose to 78 for 30 wards. It is lower than the candidate count at the civic polls held in 2021, where 95 candidates contested.Of the 30 wards, ward no. 26 (unreserved) has the highest number of candidates, with 5 candidates—Vasant Agshikar, Shubhada Dhond, Rajesh Keluskar, Namrata Sardesai, and Sanjai Sarmalker—contesting. 3 wards have 4 candidates, 9 wards have 3 candidates, and 16 wards have only 2 candidates contesting.Twenty-four-year-old John Po is the youngest candidate contesting the polls. He is up against sitting Mayor Rohit Monserrate from ward no. 4.7 wards are reserved for women candidates, while 4 are reserved for OBC candidates; 3 are reserved for OBC women, and 1 ward is reserved for ST women candidates.The nominations will be scrutinised on Feb 25, and the candidates list will be announced on Feb 26.Utpal Parrikar of the ‘Ami Panjekar’ panel, which is contesting against the sitting group, said, “We want good governance for Panaji. We have good candidates to take on the BJP’s panel, and with people’s trust and the expertise of senior candidates, we can make Panaji a better place.”Panaji Mayor Monserrate said he is confident of retaining the corporation. “Over the past 5 years in Panaji, we completed significant development work and resolved key issues, and we will continue to do so. Based on this, I feel we deserve all 30 seats.”There are many new entrants who entered the contest this time around. MSID:: 128758131 413 |
