VASCO
Independent candidate Merciana Vas retained the Cortalim Zilla Panchayat seat, defeating Congress candidate Sandra Rodrigues by a margin of 1,858 votes on Sunday.
The result was another setback for the Congress in Mormugao taluka, as issues raised during the campaign, including the double tracking of railways and other civic matters, did not translate into votes.
Vas held consistent leads across several key areas of the constituency. The contest in Cortalim was initially three-cornered, with Vas contesting as an independent, Rodrigues representing the Congress, and Angelina Teles in the fray for the Revolutionary Goans Party. However, as counting progressed, it turned into a straight contest between the Congress and the independent candidate, with the RGP trailing far behind.
At the end of counting, Vas emerged victorious with 5,224 votes. Rodrigues finished second with 3,366 votes, while Teles secured 1,250 votes.
Vas recorded strong performances in areas such as Consua, Bogmalo and nearby villages, which proved decisive in her victory.
