MARGAO
The fight for supremacy in Benaulim was often described as a David vs Goliath battle as Aam Aadmi Party candidate Capt Venzy Viegas challenged seasoned campaigner, a five-time MLA, two-time MP and a former minister, Churchill Alemao, in his fiefdom.
Thursday saw Capt Venzy emerging as a giant killer as he defeated his arch political rival by a margin of 1271 votes, ending Churchill’s dream run in Benaulim. While Venzy polled 6411 votes against Churchill’s 5140, the Congress came very close behind the two main contenders, before party candidate Tony Dias ended his spirited campaign with 4697 votes.
What has surprised poll pundits is the splendid performance by debutant Revolutionary Goans Party, whose candidate Desmond Fernandes polled 3854 votes, a vote share which is believed to have had a bearing on the three main players.
The fight for Benaulim between the Aam Aadmi Party and Churchill began long before the sitting MLA had quit the Nationalist Congress Party to embrace the Trinamool Congress Party.
In fact, AAP had sounded its arrival in coastal Salcete five years ago in the 2017 polls when party candidate Royla Fernandes had polled 4182 to finish runners-up behind Churchill. Since then, there’s been no turning back for the Arvind Kejriwal-led party as evident by the party opening its account in the 2020 Zilla Panchayat polls, wresting the Benaulim seat from the NCP and Congress.
The ZP election only gave a further boost to AAP, as the party intensified its campaign with an eye on the 2022 Assembly polls.
While AAP’s steady growth in Benaulim was expected to keep the party in good stead in the Assembly polls, poll pundits were not ready to give AAP a victory in the constituency, considering Churchill’s capacity to turn the tables against his opponents.
This is precisely the reason why many had believed that though AAP has a clear edge in Benaulim, Churchill could still pull a surprise to play yet another innings from his fiefdom.
After his victory, Venzy said people of Benaulim were looking for a change. He affirmed the change has started in Benaulim and it will be taken to the nook and corners of the state. “People have elected a new person with a new vision. We will take everyone along. There will be no more revengeful politics. We will take up the development of all seven panchayats. We will all work together. We will focus on human development,” he said.
With AAP winning the two seats of Benaulim and Velim, Wenzy said the party is now ready to fight the ruling dispensation, which has destroyed the state’s environment. He vowed to take the ongoing battle to save Old Goa heritage and avowed the party will not rest till the illegal structure there is demolished.
