PANAJI
Two candidates each hit the jackpot even before the first vote could be cast in the civic elections of Ponda and Sanquelim getting elected unopposed after candidates from their wards withdrew on Thursday.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed three of these four elected unopposed were affiliated to it and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant congratulated them.
In Ponda, Vishwanath Dalvi, a senior BJP functionary earned his third innings in the civic body after the lone candidate against him in Ward no. 7, Bharat Purohit withdrew his nomination. In ward no. 13, too one candidate Darshana Naik withdrew her nomination. Thus Vidhya Punalekar was elected unopposed and she later formally joined the BJP.
In all, there are now 50 candidates left to contest for 13 wards of the Ponda municipality, including the two sons of Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik -- incumbent chairperson Ritesh Naik and Roy Naik.
In Sanquelim municipality which is Sawant's home turf, again two were elected unopposed -- Praveen Blaggan in ward no. 5 and Riyas Khan in ward no. 8.
Khan is supported by the BJP while Blaggan is a known Congressman in Sanquelim where there is a keen tussle between the two parties.
In all, 23 who had filed nominations for the Sanquelim civic poll retired on Wednesday leaving 31 to contest the 10 wards where polling will take place on May 5.
Sawant felicitated Khan after four candidates withdrew to ensure he got elected unopposed.
