PANAJI
The contest in at least five wards in panchayats across the State went down to the wire and the top two candidates polled equal number of votes, forcing a draw of lots to break the tie.
The ex-Sarpanch of Curca, Maria Lena da Cunha. Cunha had polled 277 votes as had her rival Anand Verlekar but the former won by a draw of lots.
Elsewhere in Bardez, former sarpanch of Saligao Eknath Oraskar was unlucky with the draw of lots. Oraskar polled the same 163 votes as his rival Ramdas Konadkar but the latter returned lucky in the draw of lots.
In Salvador the Mundo's ward 5, the tie between Krishnanath Chodankar and Deepraj Naik had to be broken by lots and it went in favour of the former.
In Pernem taluka's Mandrem panchayat, Rajesh Mandrekar and Kishore Shet Mandrekar polled the same 189 votes but the former was declared the winner as he emerged lucky in the draw of lots.
In Salcete's Navelim panchayat too there was one tie. In ward no. 8, Minguel Cardozo polled 102 votes and so did Alex Fernandes. However Cardozo won with the draw of lots.
