PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Speaker Rajesh Patnekar, several ministers, legislators and prominent leaders were among the several candidates to file their nominations on Thursday, the highest number of nominations on a single day so far. A total of 310 nominations have been filed in the State so far.
Considering it to be an auspicious (Shubh Muhuratam) day, the leaders and other candidates submitted their nominations before the returning officers in their respective areas.
Besides Sawant, other prominent leaders who filed their nominations included Babush Monserrate (Panaji), Babu Ajgaonkar (Margao), Vijai Sardesai (Fatorda), Rajesh Patnekar (Bicholim), Vishwajeet Rane (Valpoi) and his wife Diviya Rane (Poriem), Churchill Alemao (Benaulim) and Kiran Kandolkar (Aldona).
The rebel BJP candidates who also filed their nominations on Thursday included former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar as independent in Mandrem, Utpal Parrikar as independent in Panaji.
Others who filed their nominations included Valmiki Naik (Panaji), Tukaram alias Manoj Parab (Valpoi), Valanka Alemao (Navelim), Elvis Gomes (Panaji), Viresh Borkar (St Andre), Joseph Roncon (Taleigao), Sandip Nigalye (Priol), Estevan D’Souza (St Andre), Goarakhnath Kerkar (Cumbarjua), Ramrao Wagh (St Andre), Jagdish Bhobe (St Andre), Sandip Vazarkar (Porvorim), Tony Rodrigues (Taleigao), Tarak Arolkar (Mapusa), Anthony Peixoto (Curtorim), Capt Venzy Viegas (Benaulim), Samil Volvoikar (Cumbarjua), Jose Cabral (Nuvem), Deepak Calangutkar (Mandrem), Anil Gaonkar (Sanvordem), Mahadev Dessai (Canacona) and Ganpat Gaonkar (Poriem).
The 310 nominations filed so far included those by dummy candidates and other duplicate nominations. Friday is the last day for filing of nominations, while the last date for withdrawal of nominations is January 31.
