PANAJI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday declared second list of 13 candidates for Zilla Panchayat (ZP) elections to be held on March 22. On Thursday, the party had announced first list of 18 candidates.
In the second list, party announced seven candidates from North Goa district and six candidates from South Goa district. So far the BJP has renominated 11 sitting ZP members.
Addressing a press conference at party office in the city, BJP State president Sadanand Shet Tanavde said that three sitting ZP members have been renominated by the party in North Goa Goa district while four were new faces. Similarly, in South Goa district, two ZP members have been again given party tickets to contest the elections.
The list of candidates are as follows: North Goa ZP: Socorro- Kartik Kudnekar, Reis Magos (OBC)- Rupesh Naik, Penha de France (OBC women)- Radhika Sawant, Santa Cruz- Savanna Maria Araujo, Taleigao (women)- Anjali Naik, Chimbel- Girish Uskaikar and St Lawrence- Dhaku Madkaikar.
South Goa ZP: Curti-Khandepar (OBC women)- Sanjana Naik, Borim- Deepak Borkar, Shiroda (ST)- Narayan Kamat, Sanvordem- Suvarna Prabhu Tendulkar, Dharbandora (women)- Sudha Gaonkar and Xeldem- Sidharth Gauns Desai. Of the above, Rupesh Naik, Savanna Maria Araujo, Dhaku Madkaikar, Deepak Borkar and Suvarna Prabhu Tendulkar have been renominated by the party. Dhaku Madkaikar, younger brother of Cumbharjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar joined the BJP, a few hours before his name to recontest the ZP elections was declared by the party.
When asked about the demand made by former Tivim MLA Kiran Kandolkar to give party ticket to his wife Kavita to contest from Sirsaim ZP constituency, Tanavde said that in the party organisation and in the democratic setup everybody has a right to demand the ticket. However, the party's State election committee will take a final decision on alloting the ticket after consulting all the members.
According to Tanavde, Sirsaim ZP constituency had been carved out by including villagers of Tivim and Aldona Assembly segments and since Aldona MLA Glen Ticlo was currently out of station, and once he returns the party could arrive at a final decision.
Tanavde said the remaining candidates would be announced by March 3 or 4, 2020. He said efforts were being made to finalise candidates by March 2, 2020. "Process of finalising rest of the candidates is underway and by Monday or Tuesday we would announce their names too,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, former Sanguem BJP MLA Subhash Phaldesai along with his supporters met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at his Altinho residence and complained against former party president and MP Vinay Tendulkar. However, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant termed the dispute as an internal matter of the party and claimed that it had been resolved.
‘’Matter has been resolved. There is no issue,’’ the Chief Minister said, while speaking to reporters at his residence. On Thursday, Phaldesai had accused Tendulkar for attending a programme at Sanguem organised by Savitri Kavlekar, wife of Deputy Chief Minister Babu Kavlekar.
On the other hand, Tandulkar had claimed that being Rajya sabha MP, he had right to attend programmes across the State and that it was not Assembly elections time for Phaldesai to be annoyed.