MARGAO
Ward No 3 of the Chinchinim panchayat is the cynosure of all eyes. Reason. As many as seven candidates are in the fray for the panchayat polls for the 11-member local body.
There’s, however, another reason why Ward 3 has come under the scanner of Chinchonkars “ as many as three former sarpanchas and a panch are crossing swords against each other to make it to the panchayat body once again.
Former sarpanchas -- Royen Viegas, Constancio Fernandes and Valentino Barretto -- besides former panch Charlie Dias are battling it out on the ground for supremacy with just a day to go for the panchayat polls.
Amongst the former three sarpanchas, Valentino held the post of deputy sarpanch for the last five years in the outgoing term.
The remaining three contestants vying for supremacy in Ward 3 are Edgar Costa, Franky Fernandes and Remedios D’Cunha.
Former Chinchinim sarpanch on a mission to better own record
MARGAO:
This former sarpanch has set out to better his own record of sorts in the Chinchinim village panchayat.
A familiar face in the Chinchinim village panchayat over the years, Santos Rebello is contesting the August 10 polls to make it to the local body for the sixth consecutive term.
Santos has been a panch of the Chinchinim panchayat since 1997 and has occupied the hot seat of sarpanch on three occasions.
This time around, he is locked in a straight fight with Johnson Gomes in the reserved ST Ward 5.
“My victory is a foregone conclusion as I have confidence in my voters,” Santos said, even as he eyes his sixth consecutive term in the Chinchinim village Panchayat.
Saying he does not believe in panels in contesting the panchayat polls, Santos said he has always contested the polls for the grass-root body independently with the support and blessing of his voters.
