MAPUSA
Amid a Covid scare, over 300 polling staff have taken guard to conduct free and fair municipal elections in 44 polling stations in Mapusa on Friday.
A total of 33,483 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the civic election in Mapusa, of which 16,403 are males and 17,080 females.
A record 81 candidates are in the fray for the elections of Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) and voting will be by way of ballots.
A total of 44 polling stations will be spread out in 20 wards within the jurisdiction of the Mapusa municipality. Out of the 20 wards, four wards – Ward 1 (Cunchelim), Ward 2 (Cunchelim), Ward 8 (Acoi, Kamarkhazan) and Ward 16 (Khorlim) have three polling stations while the remaining 16 wards have two polling stations each.
“None of the polling stations have been declared sensitive in the jurisdiction of Mapusa,” said Mamu Hage, Returning Officer for the MMC election.
Each polling station will have seven staff on duty.
One presiding officer, three polling officers, one polling peon and two policemen will be on duty in each polling station, the Returning Officer informed.
The campaigning for the Mapusa which ended on April 21 evening passed off peacefully.
The Mapusa Development Front, a panel fielded by the BJP has fielded candidates in all 20 wards of Mapusa municipality.
A group of like-minded candidates having allegiance with assorted political parties have also floated a panel – Mhapshekarancho Ekvott. They have fielded nominees in 16 wards.
Social worker Sanjay Barde has also fielded five candidates under the banner of Shree Bodgeshwar Development Front.
Besides, there are 40 independents contesting the election.
While Wards 9, 13 and 19 will witness one to one contest, all the candidates in Wards 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 16 will be first-time contestants.
Four former chairpersons and three ex-vice-chairpersons are among the 81 candidates in the fray even as a husband-wife duo and two brothers are also trying their luck in the polls.
Former chairpersons, Rupa Bhakta, Sudhir Kandolkar, Michael Carrasco and Prabhakar Vernekar are contesting the election.
Besides, ex-vice-chairpersons Marlene D’Souza, Prakash Bhivshet and Vijeyta Naik are also in the fray.
Among the husband-wife duo, former councillor, Anand Bhaidkar will contest in Ward 1 while his better half who is the outgoing councillor, Alpha Bhaidkar is re-contesting from Ward 2.
Two brothers – Tarak Arolkar in Ward 7 and Vikas Arolkar in Ward 8 – have also taken a plunge in the election.
Former chairperson Ryan Braganza’s sister Kayle Braganza is contesting from Ward 9 while Shashank Narvekar, son of former chairperson Subhash Narvekar, is contesting from Ward 6.
Similarly, Manisha Kavlekar wife of former chairperson Rohan Kavlekar is contesting from Ward 18.
Ex-chairperson Michael Carrasco is contesting in Ward 4 while his daughter Nalisha Carrasco is trying her luck for the first time in Ward 3 which is reserved for ST women.
Barbara Carrasco, wife of former councilor Martin Carrasco is contesting in Ward 3 while Viraj Phadke son of ex-councilor Vinod Phadke is contesting from Ward 16.
Vishwas Salgaonkar husband of outgoing councillor Vibha Salgaonkar is contesting from Ward 16.
Former councillors Chandrashekar Benkar, Swapnil Shirodkar, Sushant Harmalkar and Shubangi Vaigankar are also in the fray.
Counting of votes will be taken up on April 26 from 8 am onwards at Peddem Sports complex.
