MARGAO
Footballer-turned-politician Avertano Furtado is the cynosure of all eyes in Navelim. A former minister in the Manohar Parrikar cabinet, Avertano is keeping his options open. Certain Congress leaders had in the past invited him to join the party, but Avertano knows for sure that the ticket to him is ruled out as long as sitting Congress MLA and party veteran Luizinho Faleiro does not call it a day in politics. He, however, is keeping all options open for the moment, preferring to wait and watch the political developments unfolding in the state. Avertano had emerged a giant killer in Navelim when he defeated Churchill in the 2012 Assembly election as an independent. He, however, failed to retain the seat in 2017 when Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro returned to Navelim after a break spanning a decade.
