MARGAO
The battle lines are finally drawn. Barring five wards, the remaining 20 wards of the Margao Municipal Council will witness multi-cornered contests as a total of 98 candidates have been left in the fray for the April 23 Municipal election.
The candidates in the fray include the 25 candidates contesting on the BJP-backed Vibrant Margao panel, 24 candidates contesting the polls on the Margao Civic Alliance forged by Leader of Opposition, Digambar Kamat, Congress MLA Reginaldo Lourenco and Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai, six candidates fielded by the Fatorda Congress and as many candidates fielded by the Shadow Council for Margao.
On the last date of withdrawal of candidates, around 17 candidates withdrew their candidature from the fray, including the 11 candidates who have withdrawn in favour of the Margao Civic Alliance.
Barring around five seats, most of the remaining wards will either witness triangular or multi-cornered contests.
Ward No. 24, which falls in the Housing Board area of Curtorim constituency, has the highest number of candidates in the fray, around nine candidates to be precise. Ward No. 24 is followed by Ward No. 9, which has a total of seven candidates in the fray.
Ward No. 15 and Ward No. 13 has six candidates in the fray. The remaining wards will either witness triangular, four-cornered or multi-cornered contests.
Ward No. 2 will witness a straight fight between Margao Civic Alliance candidate Johnny Crasto and Vibrant Margao candidate Kalidas Naik. Similarly, Ward No. 5 (reserved for women) will witness a straight fight between Margao Civic Alliance candidate Shweta Lotlikar and Vibrant Margao candidate Deepashree Kurdikar.
The reserved ward for Scheduled Caste will also witness a straight fight between Margao Civic Alliance candidate Sulaksha Jamuni and Vibrant Margao nominee and kin of the Ajgaonkar’s Ronita Ajgaonkar.
Ward No. 16 will also witness a straight fight between Vibrant Margao nominee Anisha Mohan Naik and Dipali Sawal fielded by Margao Civic Alliance.
Similarly, Vibrant Margao’s nominee Mangala Harmalkar and Margao Civic Alliance candidate Lata Pednekar will vie for honours in Ward No. 19. Ward No. 21 will also witness a straight battle between former councillor Damu Shirodkar, fielded by the Margao Civic Allianceand Vibrant Margao nominee Sachin Satardekar.
