MARGAO
Dozens of new faces made it to the village panchayats in style, as they successfully stormed into the citadel of grassroot leaders, even as many seasoned campaigners managed to retain their seats in the panchayat elections in Salcete taluka.
In fact, the elections threw up a mixed bag of results in the 33 panchayat bodies, with new faces making their debut in many panchayat bodies across Salcete. While many sitting sarpanchas and panchas managed to retain their seats, there were many others who had to bite the dust in the hustings.
The biggest upset was witnessed in the 11-member Sao Jose de Areal panchayat body, with as many as three sarpanchas in the outgoing body, Perry D’Costa, Vincy Mascarenhas and Aliston Fernandes biting the dust in the hustings. Another former Areal Sarpanch Julio Monteiro’s bid to return back to the panchayat came to naught when he was defeated by a new face.
That’s not all. Both the Sarpanch Janety Cardozo and deputy Sarpanch of Guirdolim Panchayat Brian Pereira faced rejection in the election.
Similarly, the Sarpanch of Rachol Fatima Cardozo and her deputy Luis Oliveira also could not retain their seats.
Along the coastal belt, the outgoing sarpanchas of Cavelossim Panchayat Desmond Dias and Denis Dias, besides James Barretto failed to make it to the panchayat body.
Other sarpanchas and former sarpanchas who lost the election including Bevinda Gonsalves (Navelim), Sanjana Chari (Dramapur-Sirlim), Johnson Coelho, Anthony Fernandes and Snowkon Gonsalves (Colva), Elvita Costa and Filipa Barretto (Nuvem), Constancio Miranda (Betalbatim), former Raia sarpanchas Zelia Gonsalves, Esmeralda Gomes and Savio Gomes.
On the other hand, many sitting sarpanchas and panchas who headed the panchayats during the last term and have got reelected, included Sandra Fernandes (Carmona), Vencila Fernandes, Diella Pereira and Eslina Fernandes (Benaulim), Tony Vaz (Loutolim), Milagres Rodrigues (Curtorim), Basilio Fernandes (Camurlim), Leslie Dourado and Domingos Fernandes (Seraulim), Estevan Goes (Telaulim), Tamica Da Silva (Orlim).
In some of the panchayat bodies such as Orlim and Dramapur-Sirlim, besides Assolna, most of the newly-elected members are new faces.
