Team Goemkarponn
CORTALIM: Independent candidate Merciana Vas secured a decisive victory in the Cortalim Zilla Panchayat constituency, defeating Congress candidate Sandra Rodrigues by a margin of 1,858 votes in the elections held on Sunday.
The result marked another setback for the Congress in Mormugao taluka, as campaign issues raised during the poll process, including double tracking of railways and other civic concerns, failed to convert into votes. Vas, the sitting ZP member, managed to retain her seat with a comfortable margin, maintaining steady leads in several key pockets of the constituency.
Cortalim saw a three-cornered contest, with Merciana Vas contesting as an independent, Sandra Rodrigues representing the Congress, and Angelina Teles of the Revolutionary Goans Party also in the fray. However, as counting progressed, the contest narrowed down to a straight fight between the Congress and the independent candidate, with the RGP finishing a distant third.
The advantage for Vas became clear in the very first round of counting. She polled 2,834 votes, while Rodrigues secured 1,484 votes, opening up a substantial lead of 1,350 votes. RGP candidate Angelina Teles managed 679 votes in the opening round and remained well behind the frontrunners.
The second round followed a similar pattern. Vas secured 2,365 votes, while Rodrigues polled 1,873 votes, adding another 492 votes to Vas’ lead. Teles secured 567 votes in the second round, retaining third position without posing a challenge to the top two candidates.
At the conclusion of counting, Merciana Vas emerged victorious with a total of 5,224 votes. Congress candidate Sandra Rodrigues finished second with 3,366 votes, while Angelina Teles polled 1,250 votes to finish third. The final margin of 1,858 votes underlined Vas’ consistent performance across both rounds of counting.
Vas recorded strong numbers in areas such as Consua , Bogmalo and surrounding villages, where she maintained leads that proved decisive in the final outcome. Election officials declared the result after verification of figures from both rounds.
During the campaign, Vas received support from sarpanchas and panch members across several village panchayats in the constituency. Known among residents for her accessibility and regular engagement at the local level, Vas’ familiarity with constituency issues and presence on the ground contributed to her securing a renewed mandate from the voters of Cortalim.
