Goa Municipal Election Results: The BJP-backed panels of candidates emerged winners in 3 areas (File)
BJP-supported panels on Monday won an absolute majority in three of the five municipal councils in Goa where voting took place last week.
Polling in areas under the municipal councils of Mapusa, Margao, Mormugao, Sanguem and Quepem took place on April 23 and the counting of votes was taken up on Monday.
The BJP-backed panels of candidates emerged clear winners in Quepem, Mormugao and Sanguem, but fell short of the majority mark in Mapusa where they will need the support of independents to come to power.
In the Margao Municipal Council, a combined panel of the GFP and the Congress won majority.
Elections to these municipal councils in urban areas were not fought on party symbols, but political outfits, including the BJP, the Congress and the Goa Forward Party (GFP), had fielded their panels of candidates.
Reacting to the results, Goa BJP President Sadanand Tanavade said his party would be able to form ruling bodies in four of these five councils.
Voters have given their mandate in favour of the panels fielded by the BJP, he said.
Mr Tanavade said the election results have once again proved that the people of Goa are with the ruling BJP and its politics of development.
Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat of the Congress said the people of Margao have started the countdown of the BJP government in Goa, where assembly polls are due in early 2022.
People have given a verdict against an insensitive BJP government. This government has pushed the Goans under huge financial burden and is now pushing them in the death trap of COVID-19, Mr Kamat said.