bjp-sweeps-panaji-civic-polls-wins-27-of-30-seats

A panel backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the elections to the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) in Goa on Friday, winning 27 of the 30 wards in the civic body.

 

The panel led by state minister Atanasio Monserratte secured a decisive majority in the capital city’s municipal corporation, while the panel floated by Utpal Parrikar, son of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, managed to win only three seats.

 

The polling for the civic body took place on March 11 and counting of votes began on Friday morning.

 

Among the prominent winners from the BJP-backed panel was the incumbent mayor Rohit Monserratte, who retained his ward. Hospitality entrepreneur and president of the Travel and Tours Association of Goa, Jack Sukhija, was among the winners from the Parrikar-led panel.

 

Utpal Parrikar had formed his panel with the support of the Indian National Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party and several independent candidates in an attempt to challenge the BJP-backed group in the capital’s civic body.

 

Reacting to the victory, Monserratte said he had expected the panel to win all the 30 seats in view of the development work undertaken in the city.

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“We were expecting to win all the seats considering the development that has taken place in the capital city,” he said, adding that the panel would continue working for the people of Panaji.

 

The outcome consolidates the BJP’s influence in the administration of the coastal state’s capital city, where civic elections are closely watched due to Panaji’s political significance.

 

Meanwhile, Parrikar said that although the results were not what his panel had hoped for, the campaign had achieved its objective of encouraging civic participation and discussion about the city’s future.

 

“While the results are not what we hoped for, this journey was never only about winning seats. It was about bringing citizens together to talk about the future of Panaji — about better planning, transparency and accountable government that truly puts people first,” he said.

 

“We will continue to engage with citizens, raise issues that matter and work constructively to address the challenges our city faces,” Parrikar added.