MARGAO
When their counterparts elsewhere in the state will be exercising their franchise in the ensuing Zilla Panchayat polls on December 12, voters in the Navelim Zilla Panchayat Constituency will have to wait for the election authorities to fix the election schedule.
In fact, for the second time in 10 years, elections for the Navelim ZP seat has been countermanded following the death of a contesting candidate.
While many say that election could have held for the Navelim ZP seat as well along with other constituencies by working out a proper schedule, the government decided to hold the countermanded election on a different date. In all probability, the countermanded election will now be held next year.
The election for the Navelim ZP seat has been countermanded due to the death of Congress candidate Santarita Coelho.
This is not the first time that election for the Navelim ZP seat has been countermanded because of the death of the candidate. Sources informed that election for the Navelim ZP seat was countermanded in 2010 when a candidate had died during the election campaign.
The Navelim ZP seat comprises the villages of Navelim, Telaulim, Dramapur-Sirlim and Sarzora.
Two-time sitting ZP member Cipru Cardozo was seeking re-election from the Navelim seat and was being challenged by the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party candidates, before the election was countermanded.
Sources in the know say the decision not to hold the countermanded election along with the general election may affect the Congress since Navelim has been perceived as the stronghold of the party.
“Holding the countermanded election for Navelim with other ZP seats would have given the Congress a level-playing field, more so when the party has been going all out to expose the ruling BJP on all fronts, including the issues of the controversial coal handling and transportation,” sources said.
