Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Dec 22: While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged with a clear majority in the Zilla Panchayat elections, the results underscored just how fiercely contested many seats were, with several victories decided by a handful of votes. The close finishes highlighted intense grassroots competition and a highly engaged electorate across constituencies.

One of the tightest races unfolded in Rivona, where BJP candidate Rajshri Gaonkar narrowly defeated Goa Forward Party’s Sahitya Gaonkar by a mere 17 votes, making it one of the closest outcomes of the election.

Colva also witnessed a tense battle, with Aam Aadmi Party’s Antonio Fernandes clinching victory by just 73 votes over independent contender Nelly Rodrigues. In Cola, Congress candidate Sumitra Pagi scraped through with a slim margin of 48 votes, reflecting the evenly matched nature of the contest.

Independent candidates further shook up the results in several constituencies. In Arambol, Radhika Palyekar registered a surprise win, edging out BJP’s Manisha Korkhankar by only 46 votes, once again emphasising how every single vote proved decisive.

The narrow margins across multiple seats point to a fragmented and competitive political landscape, where outcomes were often settled only after tense counting rounds.