MARGAO
A total of 115 candidates filed 131 nomination papers for the election to the 25-member Margao Municipal Council as curtains came down on the process of filing of nomination papers on Thursday.
Friday is the day for scrutiny of nomination papers, with Returning Officer Jyoti Kumari saying the process will start at 10 am.
The BJP-backed Vibrant Margao is contesting in all the 25 candidates, while the Margao Civic Alliance backed by Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat and Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai have fielded candidates in 24 wards.
Barring three wards, most of the wards will witness multi-cornered contests.
Ward No 9 and 24 have the highest number of candidates in the fray --- 10 each. Ward No 1 and 15 have seven candidates each, with election officials saying the number of candidates will come down after scrutiny.
Ward no 16, 19 and 21 will witness straight fight between the candidates by BJP-backed Vibrant Margao and leader of Opposition-backed Model Margao.
Meanwhile, in an interesting development, Vibrant Margao has fielded city-based leader and educationist Sunil Naik in ward no 22. Prabhav Nayak, grandson of former Minister, late Babu Naik was scheduled to contest from the ward before it was reserved for OBC.
Similarly, Viviana Cardozo, daughter of former Minister and ST leader Luis Alex Cardozo filed her nomination from ward No 23 on the BJP-backed Vibrant Margao panel.
Prabhav said Vibrant Margao decided to field Sunil Naik as he is the right candidate to take development forward in ward no 22. Sunil said that he and the party would leave no stone unturned to finish the incomplete works and to take up new works.
BJP Margao Mandal chief Rupesh Mahatme said the Vibrant Margao will win around 8-9 out of the 11 seats in Margao, adding “barring 2-3 candidates, most of the candidates fielded by Model Margao have no standing in the city”.
In the meantime, ex-Councilor Damodar Naik, who had represented ward no 14 in the outgoing term has filed his nomination paper from ward no 22.
