Battle for supremacy in nine Salcete seats

MARGAO
With just a day to go for the Zilla Panchayat elections scheduled on December 20, high-stakes battle looms in Salcete as political parties and candidates vie for supremacy.

In fact, political temperatures are soaring in Salcete, where as many as nine crucial seats are up for grabs. The contest has thrown up several contentious questions for all major political players.

Foremost among them: Can the Congress re-establish its supremacy in Salcete following its resurgent performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which derailed the BJP’s plans to retain the South Goa parliamentary seat? Or will the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) succeed in displacing the Congress as the principal challenger in the region, thereby setting the tone for the 2027 Assembly elections?

The ruling BJP, meanwhile, faces a test of its own – Can the saffron party retain the two seats of Guirdolim and Davorlim in Salcete and add to its tally, bringing it within striking distance of forming the South Goa Zilla Panchayat?

Adding another layer of intrigue is the presence of several Independents in the fray, including former South Goa Zilla Panchayat chairpersons Nelly Rodrigues and Maria Rebello, besides Independents Frank Viegas in Chinchinim and Joana Fernandes in Raia.

As things stand, all major political parties — the Congress, BJP, AAP, Goa Forward Party, Revolutionary Goans Party and Nationalist Congress Party — have mounted systematic campaigns across Salcete. Almost all nine seats are witnessing keenly contested fights, with no party in a position to claim an outright or easy victory.

Cong vs BJP: Guirdolim and Davorlim in focus

A straight fight is on the cards in Guirdolim and Davorlim, the two seats where the BJP’s Lotus bloomed in the 2020 Zilla Panchayat polls. This time, a resurgent Congress appears determined to wrest back these seats and keep the BJP at bay.

The intensity of the battle is evident from the high-profile campaigning on both sides. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has taken the lead for the BJP, personally campaigning in both constituencies to retain the seats. Not to be outdone, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao has mounted a strong counter-offensive, particularly in Guirdolim, which falls within his Cuncolim Assembly constituency.

Alemao, along with Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa, has spearheaded the Congress campaign in the Balli area of Guirdolim. Take note, all eyes are focussed on the Aam Aadmi Party, who has fielded a candidate from Guirdolim village. In the 2020 ZP polls, AAP had polled significant votes in Guirdolim, leaving the Congress stranded midway. A split in the non-BJP vote had paved way for the Lotus to bloom in Guirdolim in 2020.

The BJP, leaving nothing to chance, has deployed a battery of senior leaders, including PWD Minister Digambar Kamat, Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar, Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuenkar, and former MLAs Chandrakant Kavlekar and Clafacio Dias, to ensure the party retains both seats.

Cong, AAP go head-to-head in most seats


The remaining six seats in Salcete have largely turned into a Congress versus AAP contest. From Velim and Benaulim to Colva, Nuvem, Curtorim and Navelim, candidates from both parties are locked in fierce battles for supremacy.

All eyes are particularly on Velim and Benaulim, where questions are being raised over whether a rejuvenated Congress can breach what has emerged as AAP’s stronghold. In the 2020 Zilla Panchayat polls, the Congress won Velim, Curtorim and Nuvem, while AAP opened its account in Salcete by winning Benaulim.

However, the political landscape has shifted since then. AAP went on to win both Velim and Benaulim in the 2022 Assembly elections, significantly altering the balance of power in the region. Against this backdrop, the party is now under scrutiny over its ability to withstand Congress resurgence across multiple ZP seats, including Velim, Benaulim, Navelim, Curtorim, Colva and Nuvem.

The Congress-AAP rivalry gains added significance in light of the Congress cadre’s strong opposition to any alliance with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, arguing that the Congress enjoys sufficient support in its traditional bastion of Salcete. AAP, for its part, has opted to go solo in the Zilla Panchayat polls, despite having supported the Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as part of the INDI alliance.

Political observers believe the outcome of the Zilla Panchayat elections could reshape Salcete’s political landscape. The results are expected to have far-reaching implications for both the Congress and AAP as they battle for the same non-BJP space, with an eye firmly on the 2027 Assembly elections.

GFP, RGP, NCP, Independents add twists to Salcete race

The regional Goa Forward Party (GFP) is making its debut in the Zilla Panchayat elections in Salcete, contesting the Raia seat as part of the Congress–GFP alliance. Party president Vijai Sardesai has left nothing to chance, personally spearheading the campaign to ensure victory for GFP candidate Inacinha Pinto.

However, the party faces a formidable challenge in Raia, a seat dominated by the influential Dominic Gaonkar family for nearly two decades. Adding to the complexity of the contest is Joana Fernandes, former Loutolim sarpanch, who has entered the fray as an Independent, potentially splitting votes in an already competitive race.

In Colva, the spotlight is on former four-time Zilla Panchayat member Nelly Rodrigues. Voters will decide whether her long political experience and past performance will help her prevail against candidates fielded by the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party, as well as the Revolutionary Goans Party and the Nationalist Congress Party.

A similar test awaits former three-time Zilla Panchayat member Maria Rebello, who is also seeking to return to the South Goa Zilla Panchayat. The key question is whether she can overcome challenges from candidates backed by established political parties and secure another term.

With regional parties, national parties and Independents all in the fray, the Salcete Zilla Panchayat elections have emerged as a multi-cornered contest, adding further unpredictability to an already closely fought political battle.