the goan I network
MARGAO
Can the Congress hope to regain the South Goa seat without scoring big in the minority heartland of Benaulim?
Just four days to go for the April 23 election for the South Goa Lok Sabha seat, this question has come to stare at the Congress leaders, not because the BJP has established any foothold in Salcete coastal belt, but the fact remains that the Congress has no organisation worth its name in this crucial segment to galvanise workers and supporters to strike big in the ensuing poll.
The Congress cup of woes seemed overflowing with Benaulim being represented by the NCP MLA Churchill Alemao, who has till date not extended his support to the Congress candidate. That’s not all. While the BJP is expected to bank on its traditional votes along the coastal belt, what may cause further worry for the Congress is the steady rise of the Aam Aadmi Party in Benaulim over the last five years.
While AAP volunteers are going all out to strike big in Benaulim after its splendid performance in the 2017 Assembly polls, Congress leaders are yet to put their act together for want of an organisation. Strange it may sound, but true that Benaulim segment has not played host for a Congress meeting till date. Take note, the Benaulim Congress block has no president till date, further indicating that all’s not well with the Congress in this crucial Assembly
segment.
That Francisco Sardinha’s son Shalom rushed to Varca to meet Churchill Alemao with the avowed objective of seeking support from the NCP MLA and other Congress leaders scouting for men and women to hold for the party indicates that the Congress has suddenly realised that any complacency might cost the party dearly in the scheme of things.
A section of Congress leaders apparently believe that Benaulikars will stand by the party and will voluntarily come out and vote for Francisco Sardinha. This assumption, local observers say, may not be entirely misplaced, but the moot question that remains unanswered is whether the party can ill afford to scrape through when a huge lead will help consolidate in favour of Sardinha in the scheme of things.
On the other hand, AAP’s dedicated band of volunteers is leaving no stone unturned to increase the party’s tally of votes in Benaulim in the coming election. Right from Seraulim to Carmona, are virtually working overtime in the segment to keep the party flag flying high. In the 2014 Lok Sabha poll, AAP’s candidate Swati Kerkar had polled around 1,089 votes. Much water, however, flowed down the River Sal since then. That AAP emerged as a force to reckon with in Benaulim became clear in the 2017 Assembly polls when the party finished as a runner up to Churchill Alemao.
On the other hand, the BJP had scored big in Benaulim in the 2014 Lok Sabha election with sitting MP Narendra Sawaikar polling substantial votes, around 4,433 votes to be precise, when then Independent MLA Caitu Silva and his supporters had thrown their lot behind the BJP.
NCP Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao has left the key players confused. With four days to go for polling, Churchill is still playing his cards close to his chest. How his close supporters will finally cast their vote is still unclear.
In the 2014 election, Congress candidate Reginaldo Lourenco had polled 9,491 votes in Benaulim as against 4,433 votes polled by Narendra Sawaikar, giving the Congress a lead of only 5,058 votes, which in the ultimate analysis cost him dearly as the Congress could take a consolidated lead of only around 30,000 votes in Salcete, finally losing the seat by 32,330 votes.
