The counting centre at the Matanhy Saldana Administrative complex in Margao became an unexpected marketplace for celebration on Saturday, as a garland seller capitalized on the fluctuating fortunes of political parties during the Goa Zilla Panchayat (ZP) polls. The day witnessed a dramatic reversal of moods, with early optimism for one side giving way to decisive victory for another.
From Early Cheers to Silent Observation
The morning atmosphere was dominated by supporters of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), who were buoyed by an early win announcement for their candidate from Raia. Eager to celebrate, they steadily purchased garlands from the enterprising seller, building a festive momentum. In contrast, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters were largely absent or chose to quietly observe the emerging trends from the sidelines.
This pattern of silent observation continued past noon. At around 1 pm, BJP supporters watched without reaction as Revolutionary Goans (RG) party's St Andre MLA, Viresh Borkar, and party president Manoj Parab broke into celebrations following their victory in the Santa Cruz seat.
The Evening Turnaround: BJP's Convincing Victory
By evening, the tables turned decisively. The complex echoed with cheers from BJP workers as their party notched significant wins, causing the opposition's celebrations to recede into the background. The victory of Reshma Sandeep Bandodkar, the BJP candidate from Reis Magos, prompted strong statements from party leaders.
Saligao BJP MLA Kedar Naik declared it a "convincing victory," akin to the win in Socorro. He stated that the voter had chosen development and that the party had answered the opposition's attempts at defamation through results. Naik promised doubled efforts ahead of the 2027 assembly polls. The victory was marked by party workers waving a giant saffron lotus, sporting party-coloured scarves, and heaping garlands on winning candidates and sitting MLAs.
Opposition's Restrained Reactions and Allegations
Just metres away, celebrations for Congress's win in Aldona were far more restrained, though emotionally charged. Aldona MLA Carlos Ferreira claimed the results reflected the people's voice rejecting the BJP, attributing BJP's wins elsewhere to a division of votes among opponents.
RG's Viresh Borkar alleged that the governing party made every small victory an uphill task for the opposition. "They did not give us sufficient time. We were not allowed to use banners and money distribution was happening," he claimed, adding that despite campaigning by the Chief Minister, MP, and BJP president in Santa Cruz, RG's grassroots work secured their win.
The challenges were starkly different for independent candidates. Nelly Jose Rodrigues, who contested and lost the Colva seat, highlighted the toughest challenge faced by non-aligned candidates. She reminisced about the first ZP polls in the 2000s, when she was the first chairperson and could campaign on a week's leave from her teaching job. "Now it is along party lines and has been my toughest election," she concluded, stating that ZP polls were a more level-playing field when not fought on party symbols.
The day in Margao thus painted a vivid picture of Goa's political dynamics, where early leads can be deceptive, party machinery plays a crucial role, and the humble garland seller finds opportunity in every result.
