MARGAO
Sunday saw grassroot politicians slogging it out on the field to woo the electorate with just two days to go for the elections for the village panchayats.
Being the last Sunday before the elections, the candidates left nothing for chance as they went about the campaign in the wards. In fact, candidates with groups of supporters hopped from door-to-door as a last ditch attempt to woo the electorate and turn the tide in their favour.
A couple of present and former MLAs descended on the battlefield in support of their candidates. While BJP MLA Ulhas Tuenkar with supporters went around Rumdamol village in support of party candidates, ex-Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa descended in the Guirim ward of Nuvem to drum up support for wife Freda.
A total of 863 candidates are in the fray for the 33 village panchayats spread across Salcete taluka. Around 11 candidates have been elected unopposed in Salcete, including three elected unopposed to the Chandor panchayat and two in Ambelim and one each in Benaulim, Macazana, Telaulim.
At almost every panchayat, one has come across either ex-sarpanchas and former panchas in the fray in the bid to play yet another innings in their respective panchayats. They, however, have come under stiff opposition from young and first time candidates, who have thrown their hat in the election ring.
A number of outgoing and former sarpanchas are in the fray in almost all the panchayat bodies. If long-time Camurlim Sarpanch Basil Fernandes is battling it out for yet another term in the panchayat body, outgoing sarpanchas and former sarpanchas, besides former deputy sarpanchas from the villages along Salcete coastal belt are in the fray. Former sarpanchas of Cavelossim, Denis Dias, Sandra Fernandes (Carmona), Tamica Da Silva (Orlim), Vencilla Fernandes, Diella Pereira and Eslina Fernandes, besides deputy sarpanchas Menino de Bandar and Nilesh Prabhudesai, all from Benaulim are locked in the battle.
That’s not all. As many as five former sarpanchas are in the fray for the August 10 polls for the tourist village of Colva. In fact, two former sarpanchas, Anthony alias Mam Fernandes and Menino Fernandes are locked in a triangular contest. Other former Colva sarpanchas in the fray, includes outgoing sarpanch Johnson Coelho, Snowkon Gonsalves and Suzie Fernandes. Suzie had unsuccessfully contested the 2020 elections for the South Goa Zilla Panchayat. A couple of sitting panchayat members, including DomRod and Pio Furtado are also in the fray for the elections to the Colva panchayat.
