Team Goemkarponn
Khola: In a smooth transition of leadership under a mutual power-sharing agreement, Pragnya Gautam Kamat was unanimously elected as the new Sarpanch of Khola Panchayat—marking the fourth person to hold the post during the current term.
Kamat was elected unopposed during a special meeting chaired by Pratima Waradkar, Head Clerk at the Block Development Office (BDO). Seven out of nine ruling panch members, including outgoing Sarpanch Priyanka Pavitra Velip, were present for the proceedings.
Following due procedure, Waradkar declared Kamat elected after her name was proposed by former ZP member and ex-Sarpanch Krishna Velip and seconded by Priyanka Velip, who had resigned a fortnight ago to facilitate the rotation of leadership. No other nominations were filed for the vacant post.
Since the last panchayat elections, the Khola Panchayat has been aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ruling group—comprising seven BJP-backed members—has agreed to rotate the Sarpanch and Dy. Sarpanch positions among themselves during the term.
Priyanka Velip, who became the third Sarpanch in August last year, stepped down as part of this arrangement. Ajay Pagui and Krishna Velip previously held the post in the current panchayat term.
Following her election, Pragnya Kamat received congratulations from a large number of well-wishers, including Ex-Deputy Chief Minister and BJP State Vice-President Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar and BJP South Goa District President Prabhakar Gaonkar, who personally visited the panchayat to convey their best wishes.
