Panaji, Mar 22 (IANS): The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday claimed to have swept the elections to the six municipal councils and one municipal corporation poll.

While the voting for polls was held on March 20, the elections were not contested on party lines and key political parties, namely the BJP, Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party had sponsored individual candidates or panels of candidates contesting the polls.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant maintained that the BJP sponsored candidates had won the Bicholim, Valpoi, Pernem, Canacona Curchorem municipalities and trounced the opposition in the polls to the Corporation of the City of Panaji. In the lone bypoll to the Sanquelim Municipal Council, which is a part of Sawant's legislative Assembly seat, the BJP-sponsored candidate lost to his rival supported by the Congress party.

"I congratulate all those candidates who have won the municipal polls. In all municipalities BJP sponsored candidates have performed well. We have scored a big victory in the Panaji Corporation polls. Bicholim, Valpoi, Pernem, Canacona and Curchorem we have won. There is a close result in Cuncolim, but we will ensure that the BJP will emerge front runner," Sawant said.

Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, however claimed that except for wins in Panaji and Valpoi, the BJP had not performed well, suggesting that winning independent candidates routinely back the ruling government.

Describing BJP's performance as lacklustre, Kamat said that the municipal poll results showed that the beginning of the end of the BJP in Goa had kick-started.

"I had said this, it is the beginning of the end of BJP rule in Goa," Kamat said.