Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The elections to the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) concluded on March 11 with the voter turnout crossing the 60 per cent mark across the state capital.
Polling was held from 8 am to 5 pm across 30 wards, with 48 polling booths set up to facilitate voters. While some wards had a single polling station, larger wards were provided with two booths to manage voter turnout smoothly.
Earlier in the day, election officials reported that by 2 pm a total of 15,546 votes had been cast, including 7,382 men and 8,164 women voters, recording a turnout of 47.84 per cent. The turnout increased further in the later hours of polling, eventually crossing the 50 per cent mark by the close of voting.
The otherwise routine civic election turned into a high-profile political contest with several prominent leaders actively campaigning.
Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate campaigned for his panel of candidates, while Utpal Parrikar, son of former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, supported the Ami Panjekar panel.
Leaders from the Opposition were also visible during the campaign, including Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes, and AAP leaders Venzy Viegas and Valmiki Naik, who conducted door-to-door outreach in several wards.
Several wards witnessed closely contested battles, including Surendra Furtado versus Kabhir Pinto Makhija in Ward 9, Dr Sheetal Naik versus Bento Lorena in Ward 6, and Uday Madkaikar versus Nilkant Chari in Ward 13.
Mayor Rohit Monserrate’s contest in Ward 4 (Caranzalem) also turned into a three-cornered fight following the entry of Agnelo Silveira.
Ward 17 (Fontainhas, Alto-Guimaraes, Altinho) also attracted attention with Jack Sukhija, from the family of Goa’s first Chief Minister Dr Jack de Sequeira, contesting against BJP-backed incumbent Edward Jorge.
