PANAJI
With political alliances shifting and grassroots equations in flux, Tiswadi’s five Zilla Panchayat constituencies are set to witness a contest that mirrors the broader churn underway in Goa’s electoral landscape.
Taleigao, St Cruz, Chimbel, St Lawrence, and Corlim will witness a multi-cornered contest that is expected to reflect the shifting political currents in the State. The five seats themselves reflect the intricate overlaps between ZP and Assembly constituencies. The St Cruz ZP seat includes the large St Cruz panchayat from the same Assembly constituency, but its larger share lies in St Andre, covering Curca-Bambolim-Telaulim, Siridao-Pale, and Batim. Taleigao, by contrast, is more straightforward: the ZP seat wholly coincides with the Taleigao Assembly constituency. Chimbel, meanwhile, is composed of the Chimbel and Merces panchayats, both forming part of the St Cruz Assembly constituency.
Corlim and St Lawrence add further complexity. The Corlim ZP seat comprises four panchayats — Corlim, Cumbarjua, St Estevam, and Se Old Goa — all of which fall under the Cumbharjua Assembly constituency. The St Lawrence ZP seat straddles two constituencies: Carambolim from Cumbharjua, and four panchayats from St Andre — St Lawrence (Agacaim), St Andre (Goa Velha), Azossim-Mandur, and Neura. These overlaps ensure that Assembly-level political dynamics will directly shape grassroots contests, with local leaders’ influence extending into the ZP battlefield.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), buoyed by its control of the State government, will seek to consolidate its position in Tiswadi. However, its record in the 2022 Assembly elections here was modest: of the four overlapping constituencies, the BJP won only Taleigao through Jennifer Monserrate. The Congress had secured St Cruz and Cumbharjua, while the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) made a breakthrough in St Andre.
Crucially, both the Congress MLAs from Tiswadi — Rudolf Fernandes (St Cruz) and Rajesh Faldesai (Cumbharjua) — later defected to the BJP, altering the balance of power and seemingly giving the ruling party greater leverage heading into this ZP election.
Local satraps will play a decisive role. In Taleigao, the Monserrate duo — Babush and Jennifer — will attempt to translate their Assembly clout into a ZP victory.
In St Cruz and Chimbel, Congress-turned-BJP MLA Rudolf Fernandes faces a challenge not only from his erstwhile Congress but also from AAP, whose State president Amit Palekar hails from Merces, part of the Chimbel ZP seat. Palekar’s presence could energise AAP’s campaign, making these constituencies particularly competitive. The RGP also has a political footprint here, given that some of the panchayats from its lone MLA Viresh Borkar's St Andre constituency form part of St Cruz.
In Corlim, Cumbharjua MLA Rajesh Phaldesai’s influence will be tested in the wake of his defection to the saffron fold, while Borkar of St Andre will look to extend his party’s grassroots appeal in St Lawrence and St Cruz.
Regional players like the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and RGP add further complexity. GFP, though weakened, may seek to reassert itself in pockets where local issues resonate and has already shown signs of targeting the Corlim seat. RGP, riding on its outsider-centric narrative, will aim to replicate its Assembly success in St Andre across the ZP landscape.
The ruling BJP, meanwhile, will rely on its organisational machinery and the advantage of incumbency, while Congress must overcome the setback of defections to retain credibility.
Ultimately, the Tiswadi ZP elections will serve as a microcosm of Goa’s evolving political dynamics. With five seats at stake, the contests will not only determine grassroots representation but also signal the strength of parties and leaders ahead of the larger electoral battle in 2027.
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TISWADI TRACKER
Taleigao ZP: Aligns perfectly with the Taleigao assembly (the latter also has a few wards of the CCP).
St Cruz ZP: Straddles St Cruz and St Andre, with three panchayats falling into St Andre.
Chimbel ZP: Entirely within St Cruz Assembly, covering Chimbel and Merces.
Corlim ZP: Sits wholly inside Cumbharjua Assembly, with four panchayats.
St Lawrence ZP: Is split between Cumbharjua (Carambolim) and St Andre (four panchayats).
