Team Goemkarponn
MAPUSA: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday launched its candidate finalisation exercise for the upcoming Zilla Panchayat (ZP) elections in North Goa, holding an extensive meeting of senior leaders and MLAs at the party’s North Goa District office in Mapusa.
The closed-door discussions, chaired by State BJP president Damu Naik, continued throughout the day and focused on shortlisting strong contenders for various constituencies while reviewing the party’s organisational presence across the district.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Naik said the selection process was progressing smoothly. “We held comprehensive deliberations with senior leaders and MLAs to shortlist suitable candidates for the ZP polls. In several constituencies, there was unanimous agreement. We expect to declare the final list within the next two to four days,” he said.
Party insiders said the leadership is working to create a balanced slate of candidates, combining experienced leaders with new entrants to strengthen the BJP’s grassroots connect. “Winnability and performance at the panchayat level are the key parameters,” a senior office bearer noted.
The party’s preparations come amid reports that the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) has recommended delaying the elections until the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is completed.
Despite this, political analysts say the BJP remains well-positioned heading into the polls, pointing to the party’s solid performance in previous ZP elections and the lack of cohesion among opposition groups. “Unless the opposition comes together with united candidates, the BJP is likely to retain an upper hand,” one analyst observed.
