Goa CM Pramod Sawant meets BJP's winning District Panchayat candidates at his residence

Panaji (Goa) [India], December 23 (ANI): Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant met Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning candidates from the recently concluded District Panchayat elections at his official residence in Panaji and congratulated them on their electoral success.
During the meeting on Monday, the Chief Minister praised the party's performance in the local body polls and described the outcome as a reflection of the people's trust in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and its governance model.
Congratulating the elected representatives, Sawant said the victory belonged to the people of Goa and was inspired by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"I heartily congratulate all those BJP candidates who have won. I dedicate this victory to Prime Minister Modi and the people of Goa. I also thank those rural voters who have given us this opportunity under PM Modi's leadership," the Chief Minister said.
The Bhartiya Janata Party emerged as the single largest party in the Goa District Panchayat elections, winning a total of 30 seats across the state. The BJP secured 17 seats in the North Goa District Panchayat and 13 seats in the South Goa District Panchayat, giving the party a clear edge over its rivals.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated NDA workers on their performance in the Zilla Panchayat elections, noting that the alliance had surpassed its previous record. The Prime Minister hailed the results as a sign of growing public confidence in the NDA's governance and grassroots outreach.
"Heartiest congratulations to all the newly elected Zilla Panchayat members of the BJP-MGP (NDA) Alliance. This strong mandate reflects the people's faith in the Double Engine Sarkar, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the guidance of BJP National president JP Nadda, and BJP national working president Nitin Nabin, along with our shared commitment to grassroots empowerment and people-centric governance," he said.
"I am confident the BJP-led Alliance will accelerate all-round development, strengthen transparent and accountable governance, and work towards a Viksit Goa and Viksit Bharat," he said.
Meanwhile, polling for the District Panchayat Elections started at 8 am on December 20 for the 50-member local body.
To ensure smooth polling, the SEC set up approximately 1,284 polling stations, with 658 in North Goa and 626 in South Goa.
Unlike previous elections, electronic voting machines were not being used, and polling was being conducted through ballot papers.
The Zilla Panchayat elections are being viewed as a crucial political contest ahead of the 2027 Goa Assembly elections, with the results expected to influence future alliances and electoral strategies in the state.
As of 7 PM, in the 50-member Zilla panchayat body, Bharatiya Janata Party, in alliance with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, has won in 30 seats, while Congress won 9, and the Goa Forward Party, Aam Aadmi Party, and the Revolutionary Goans Party have won 1 seat each.
In the 2022 Assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the single largest party with 20 seats, followed by the Congress with 11 seats. The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Aam Aadmi Party won two seats each, while independents secured three seats, and other candidates accounted for the remaining two. (ANI)