Saligao MLA Kedar Naik while greeting newly elected Sangolda sarpanch Minolette Lopes.
PORVORIM
Luck favoured Minolette Lopes on Wednesday after she was elected sarpanch of Sangolda panchayat through a draw of lots.
The post had fallen vacant following the resignation of former sarpanch Neeta Kandolkar two weeks ago. The seven-member panchayat had been reduced to six after the disqualification of Ulhas Moraskar by the Directorate of Panchayats (DoP).
According to sources, all six panchas had met Saligao MLA Kedar Naik on Tuesday and agreed to elect Lopes as the new sarpanch. However, a split emerged overnight, and Jalisa Tulaskar filed her nomination on Wednesday with the support of Avinash Naik and Wilma Alvares.
The Mapusa BDO convened a special meeting to elect the new sarpanch, with Murari Varadkar presiding. Nominations were received from Lopes and Tulaskar. Lopes’ candidature was proposed by Neeta Kandolkar and seconded by Nilkant Naik.
When the voting was held, both candidates secured three votes each, leading the presiding officer to decide the result by a draw of lots, in which Lopes emerged victorious. Panchayat secretary Dharmendra Govekar assisted in conducting the election.
