NT Reporter
Mapusa
The Colvale Zilla Panchayat seat is set to witness a four-cornered contest, with sitting ZP member Kavita Kandolkar seeking to retain her seat. The BJP has fielded senior party worker Sapna Mapari, who has been actively working in the Tivim constituency and is also the Assonora deputy sarpanch. The Revolutionary Goans Party has nominated youth leader Pradnya Sawant, while Snejana Pereira is contesting as the Aam Aadmi Party candidate. The Congress has not fielded a candidate for the seat and has not formally announced support for any contestant.
The Colvale ZP seat is once again being seen as prestigious, particularly as the BJP campaign is being led by Tivim MLA and Fisheries Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar, who is making concerted efforts to secure the seat. The presence of Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade, who also hails from the constituency, is expected to boost Mapari’s prospects.
Kandolkar, wife of former MLA Kiran Kandolkar, is banking on the development works undertaken over the last five years and local support. RGP candidate Pradnya Sawant is campaigning under the guidance of party leader Manoj Parab, who belongs to the constituency and has been active, especially in Pirna village. The AAP candidate is also campaigning actively.
Although the Congress has not fielded a candidate, sources within the party said it would extend support to Kandolkar.
The Colvale Zilla Parishad
seat is reserved for women and has 15,795 voters who will decide the fate of the four candidates. The constituency comprises Colvale, Assonora, Revora, Pirna and Nadora.
In the last ZP elections, the seat had prestige value as Kandolkar, contesting as an Independent, won by a margin of 2,075 votes against BJP candidate Govind Kubal. Of the 9,949 valid votes, Kandolkar secured 5,588 votes, Kubal polled 3,513 votes, Congress candidate Satish Chodankar got 428 votes, while Independent candidate Umesh Kavthankar secured 420 votes.
