NT Reporter Panaji
Consolidating its dominance, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) alliance retained power at the North Goa and South Goa Zilla Panchayats (ZPs) by winning 32 seats out of 50 seats as counting for the polls held on Saturday concluded late Monday evening.
The BJP won 29 seats, while the MGP emerged victorious in three seats. Congress has bagged 10 seats, while its alliance partner Goa Forward Party won one seat. Revolutionary Goans Party emerged victorious in two seats, while Aam Aadmi Party managed to win one. Four seats have been won by independent candidates.
With 70% of the voters in the state coming from rural Goa, the Zilla Panchayat elections were crucial for all the political parties in the wake of the upcoming state legislative assembly polls, scheduled to be held in early 2027.
In North Goa Zilla Panchayat, Bharatiya Janata Party won 18 seats with its alliance partner MGP bagging one. Congress and RGP won two seats each, while independent candidates emerged victorious in two constituencies.
In South Goa, BJP won 11 seats and MGP two, totalling 13, the minimum number required to run the affairs of ZP. Congress emerged victorious in eight seats, while its alliance partner Goa Forward Party won one seat. Aam Aadmi Party managed to win one seat and two seats were secured by independent candidates.
Though the ruling dispensation has managed to retain power at the North Goa and South Goa Zilla Panchayat bodies, many opposition candidates, including Independents, gave a tough fight to the BJP candidates in many places.
In Pernem taluka, BJP emerged victorious in Dhargal and Torxem, while MGP won the Morjim seat, but Independent candidate Radhika Palyekar shocked BJP in Arambol constituency by defeating its candidate by 54 votes.
In Bardez, BJP won the six seats of Siolim, Anjuna, Calangute, Socorro, Reis-Magos and Penha-de-Franca, while Congress won two seats of Aldona and Sirsaim. Colvale has been retained by Independent candidate Kavita Kandolkar. In Tiswadi taluka, RGP bagged two seats of St Cruz and St Lawrence, while BJP won Taleigao, Chimbel and Corlim.
Bharatiya Janata Party swept the polls in Sattari taluka by winning all three seats of Honda, Nagargao and Querim by huge margins against the opponents.
In Bicholim, BJP won all the four seats of Latambarcem, Karapur-Sarvan, Maem and Pale.
Bharatiya Janata Party emerged victorious in four constituencies of Curti, Usgao-Ganje, Borim and Shiroda in Ponda taluka, with MGP winning two seats of Queula and Veling-Priol. Independent candidate Sunil Jalmi, however, gave a big jolt to BJP in Betqui-Candola constituency.
In Salcete taluka, Congress performed well by winning seven seats of Curtorim, Nuvem, Navelim, Davorlim, Benaulim, Velim and Guirdolim, while Aam Aadmi Party won the Colva seat.
In Dharbandora, both, Dharbandora and Sanvordem seats were won by BJP, while in Sanguem BJP secured the lone seat of Rivona by a margin of just 19 votes.
Bharatiya Janata Party retained its Barcem seat in Quepem taluka, while Congress created history by winning the Khola seat.
In Canacona taluka, the Poinguinim seat was retained by BJP in a close fight against the Goa Forward candidate.
Meanwhile, BJP celebrated their victory in Panaji Monday evening with firework display. Winners also called on the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at Altinho as victory rallies were taken out in several parts of the state. Meanwhile, with the results declared, the model code of conduct has been lifted.
