Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa BJP announced its first slate of 19 candidates for the December 20 Zilla Panchayat polls, becoming the second party after AAP to declare its nominees. The upcoming ZP elections are being seen as an important indicator of public mood ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls, with the ruling party treating this as a key organisational test at the grassroots.
Contesting in alliance with the MGP, the BJP’s initial list includes four women, three ST, two OBC, one SC, and nine general category candidates. Among the prominent names is Siddhesh Naik of Corlim, sitting ZP member, former North Goa ZP chairperson and son of Union Minister of State Shripad Naik.
North Goa candidates:
Sapna Mapari (Colvale), Sagar Maulankar (Sirsaim), Franzilia Rodrigues (Calangute), Amit Asnodkar (Socorro), Reshma Bandodkar (Reis-Magos), Sandeep Salgaonkar (Penha-de-France), Raghuvir Kuncolienkar (Taleigao), Padmakar Malik (Latambarcem), Sundar Naik (Pale), Namdev Chari (Honda), Nilesh Parwar (Querim), Premnath Dalvi (Nagargao), Sameksha Naik (Usgao-Ganje), and Shramesh Bhonsle (Betqui-Khandola).
South Goa candidates:
Pritesh Gaonkar (Curti), Mohan Gaonkar (Sanvordem), Shidharth Gauns Dessai (Zeldem), and Sunil Gawas (Sancoale).
Party sources say the BJP hopes the ZP performance will demonstrate its organisational depth and rural connectivity as it works towards the more significant political battle in 2027.
