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Goa: BJP continues its winning streak, wins 3 of 5 councils | Goa News – Times of India

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PANAJI: With less than a year to go for the state assembly elections, BJP on Monday won three of the five municipal councils that recently went to polls. While it claimed the Quepem, Mormugao and Sanguem bodies, it lost the important Margao council, and in Mapusa, drew with the Congress-supported panel.
“The mandate is in support of the government,” claimed state BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanavade.
In Mapusa, the panel supported by BJP MLA Joshua D’Souza, the Mapusa development front, and the one supported by Congress candidate for the last assembly , Sudhir Kandolkar, Mapsekaracho Ekvott, shared the spoils, winning nine wards each.
While Kandolkar claimed the support of the two independent candidates to form the panel, BJP expressed confidence in forming the council.
In Margao, the council will be formed jointly by Congress and Goa Forward Party.
BJP’s attempts to wrest control of the commercial capital’s civic body proved futile, as BJP won just seven out of 25 seats. The last time around, it had won three.
Despite BJP’s state brass camping in Margao, it was not able to take on the combined panel floated by Congress’ Digambar Kamat and Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, and GFP’s Vijai Sardesai. It was a high-stakes battle in Margao.
BJP’s leadership had put in a lot of effort and resources in their attempt to defeat the Kamat-Sardesai combine. State party president Sadanand Shet Tanavade himself camped there for days, and even CM Pramod Sawant campaigned for some candidates.
A political observer said that BJP tried hard, but their efforts seemed to have failed to convince the voters. The court setting aside the reservation notification for Margao municipal elections in March was also a setback to the party. Party functionary Sharmad Raiturcar also suffered a defeat from the Comba ward of Margao.
“The result of the Margao election has sent a clear signal that a united opposition can change political equations in the near future,” he said.
“We have improved our tally in Margao,” Sawant said, adding that out of 14 municipalities, BJP has won 12.
In Quepem, the panel backed by deputy chief minister Chandrakant Kavlekar swept the polls. A political observer said that Kavlekar was able to retain his hold on the municipality even after he defected to BJP, and despite there being many minority voters.
In Sanguem, former MLA Subhash Phal Desai-backed BJP panel was able to win the polls despite the constituency being represented by independent Prasad Gaonkar. There was a triangular fight as Kavlekar’s wife and Congress candidate for the 2017 assembly election, Savitri, also fielded a panel, but was not able to garner support.
A political observer said that this victory has given Phal Desai another opportunity to revive his political career for the upcoming assembly election. “Looking at the Sanguem results, Phal Desai is emerging as an alternative,” he said. In the recently-concluded ZP election, Phal Desai won all seats.
In Mormugao, too, BJP dominated. Local MLA and urban development minister Milind Naik-backed candidates won seven wards, those backed by Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida won nine wards, and Dabolim MLA and transport minister Mauvin Godinho-backed candidates won in three wards.
“Since 2012, BJP has been dominating in Mormugao taluka, and with weak Congress presence, the saffron party has again been able to perform well,” said an observer.
Last month, BJP had won six out of seven urban local bodies, including the Corporation of the City of Panaji.
In December 2020, BJP had retained its sway over both the zilla panchayat bodies of the state with a comfortable majority. BJP won 14 of the 24 seats of the South Goa zilla panchayat, and 19 of the 25 seats in North Goa.

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Broke Swiggy guy walks 3 km to deliver food, Social media helps him find better job. Heartwarming story is viral

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Social media can be a wondrous place at times. While on most days, its ugly face is on display, on days like today, it sets examples of the power of kindness. In a social media post, a LinkedIn user shared how a delivery executive, in need of money and a better job, bagged one after the users on the platform came together to help the person out.

Priyanshi Chandel, Marketing Manager at tech company Flash, shared an incident about a Swiggy delivery agent who had come to deliver food at her residence. When she asked the late and out-of-breath delivery person, identified by her as Sahil Singh, about what happened, he told her that he had no transport and had to walk 3 km to deliver the order.

He also said that he was out of money and had nothing left to pay his landlord too. Singh told her that he was not looking for money from her but requested her to help him bag a job. He said that he had a degree in Electrical and Communication Engineering, and had worked with Byju’s and Ninjacart before. He had to move back to Jammu during the pandemic.

“I have not eaten for a week, just drinking water and tea to get by. I am not asking for anything, please if you can find me a job, I used to make 25k before, I am 30 years old, my parents are getting old and I can’t keep asking for money from them (sic),” Chandel quoted saying.

She also shared his marksheets and contact number for people to help. His details shared show that he is a 2018 BTech graduate from Mewar University, and completed his schooling from the Jammu and Kashmir state board.

After she shared the details, the comments section was filled with people who stepped up to help. While someone recharged his Yulu account so that he did not have to walk around to deliver food, someone offered a place to stay. Many offered to help him with his applications, while some offered jobs too.

Chandel, later on put an update on the post, and said that he received a job.

However, so far it is unclear what job he has received.

2023 has so far been a year of job losses, an eventual outcome of the pandemic and increased hiring by tech companies. For instance, the SSC MTS 2023 recruitment exam that took place in Uttar Pradesh in May saw over 55 lakh applications for Group D jobs. Numerous candidates who applied for positions such as peon, watchman, gardener had educational backgrounds like BTech, MBA, and Master’s degrees.

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Goa CM, NRI Commissioner writes to MoEF for help in safe return of Goans from Ukraine

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Panaji: Goa chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Thursday urged Union Minister for External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar to help in safe return of Goans who are in the Ukraine.

Sawant tweeted “we are concerned about the Goans in Ukraine who are considering to return to India in the light of ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis. I request Union Minister for External Affairs @DrSJaishankar ji for help in the safe return of Goans. I am keeping track of the situation.”

The chief minister’s tweet comes hours after Goa’s NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar wrote to the Union External Affairs ministry seeking help in return of Goans who are in the Ukraine.

“Many Goans are currently residing in Ukraine due to various purposes including higher studies and due to the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine, I have started receiving requests for help and assistance from them to return back to India,” Sawaikar wrote.

The Commissioner further wrote in the letter that advisories have already been issued by the Ministery of External Affairs to Indians currently in Ukraine and our Indian Mission in Kyiy is currently handling the matter.

“Striking note of urgency, the Government of India has recently asked the family members of Embassy officials in Ukraine as well as students and citizens whose stay is not vital , to leave the Eastern European nation amid it’s raising tensions with Russia,” the letter reads.

Sawaikar wrote that the Goans in Ukraine are in touch with this office as they are anxious to temporarily return till the situation normalizes.

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Election Commission announces polling dates and counting days for Vidhan Sabha elections in 5 states

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On Saturday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the dates for the Vidhan Sabha elections in 5 States, namely, Goa, Punjab, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

While briefing the media, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra informed that the elections in the poll-bound States will commence from February 10, 2022, to March 7, 2022. Elections in the State of Uttar Pradesh will be conducted in 7 phases, followed by Manipur with 2 phases. Elections in Goa, Uttarkhand and Punjab will be conducted in a single phase.

According to the Election Commission of India, the votes will be counted on March 10, 2022. ECI informed that all physical campaigning will be ceased until January 15, 2022, in light of the rising cases of Coronavirus.

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