MARGAO
The office of the Returning Officer for Margao Municipal Council elections, Jyoti Kumari, IAS witnessed a rush of candidates on Friday as the office resumed accepting nomination papers a day after the Supreme Court stayed the High Court order on ward reservations.
A total of 37 candidates filed their nomination papers on Friday, most of the candidates being BJP-backed candidates, who are contesting the ensuing polls under the banner of Vibrant Margao.
While Goa Forward candidates Lyndon Pereira and Sujay Lotlikar turned up before the Returning Officer to file his papers, the remaining candidates backed by the regional party are all expected to file their papers on Saturday, the last date for filing of nomination papers.
In fact, the office of the Returning Officer witnessed a rush of candidates before the office began accepting the nomination papers. While candidates are allowed to file their papers till 1 pm, candidates who had made a beeline at the office before the deadline, anxious to file their papers, were allowed to enter the office and file their nominations.
The office of the Returning Officer for the MMC polls is expected to witness a heavy rush of candidate on Saturday, with the candidates backed by Margao MLA Digmabar Kamat and Goa Forward-backed candidates, besides independents are all expected to file their papers on Saturday.
Amongst the prominent BJP-backed candidates who filed their papers on Friday were BJP leaders, including former MMC chairperson, Rajendra Agaonkar, brother of Deputy Chief Minister, Manohar Ajgaonkar, two-time former chairperson Arthur D’Silva, BJP Margao block committee chief and two-time sitting Councillor Rupesh Mahatme, party general secretary and sitting Councillor Ketan Kurtarkar, the husband-wife duo of Sadanand and Babita Naik and others.
Former chairperson Gonzaco Rebello, who was declared a candidate by NCP Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao also filed his papers from Ward No. 1.
Goa Forward-backed sitting Councillor Lyndon Pereira filed his papers from Ward No. 3 since his Ward No. 2 has been reserved for OBC this time.
