MAPUSA
The BJP which has won four times in a row from its stronghold of Mapusa is facing a tough challenge from an invigorated Congress this time around.
Considered one of the most influential constituencies for the BJP in Bardez, the youthful Mapusa MLA, Joshua D’Souza has a mission to take the legacy of his late father Francis D’Souza forward and win the seat for a record fifth term.
But will he? A tough call by any means.
From 1963, the first assembly election after Goa’s liberation, to 1989, the Mapusa seat was won mostly by the MGP, with one exception in 1980 when Shyamsunder Neogi from Janata (U) triumphed.
However, since 2002, BJP has had an unprecedented run in Mapusa with late Francis D’Souza, the saffron party’s minority face in the State, winning handsomely from the constituency increasing his victory margin at every election.
In the 2019 by-election, after the death of Francis D’Souza, his son Joshua D’Souza retained the Mapusa seat for the BJP by defeating Sudhir Kandolkar of the Congress by a narrow margin of 1151 votes.
Joshua D’Souza this time has been pitted once again against Sudhir Kandolkar from the Congress and AAP State Convenor, Rahul Mhambre.
Tarak Arolkar of the TMC, Jitesh Kamat of Shiv Sena and Rohan Salgaonkar of Revolutionary Goans Party are also in the fray.
D’Souza, who grew under his father’s wings, took his first shot in electoral politics when he successfully contested the civic elections of Mapusa from ward 13 in 2015.
The BJP has reposed its faith in D’Souza and are backing him tooth and nail in bid to retain the Mapusa seat for the fifth time in a row.
According to 2022 data provided by the district administration, the total voters for the seat are 29,093, with 14,840 women.
Nearly, 30% (18% Catholic and 12% Muslim) belong to minorities and the balance 70 percent the majority community which mainly comprises of Bhandaris and Vaishya.
A cleric of a mosque in Mapusa said, “D’Souza has been helping people of our community. We find him approachable and always ready to help people.”
Congress candidate, Sudhir Kandolkar, meanwhile, said, “D’Souza recently laid foundation stone for a bridge (Tar Bridge) just before the elections, which will take another six months to complete. Mapusa has lagged behind for the last 25 years. People are looking for a change.”
Interestingly, Congress has never ever won from this constituency and if it does it will be another record of sorts.
AAP’s Rahul Mhambre has been making a determined bid to unsettle both the candidates of the national parties who are frontrunners.
“We have seen the BJP administration for the last 25 years, be it as a councilor or MLA. We also know the capacity and capabilities of Congress candidate Sudhir Kandolkar, as chairperson of MMC, who comes from the same school of thought as the BJP candidate. They
both have got ample of time and opportunities to do good for society and they have failed miserably,” Mhambre said.
“Only option today is Rahul Mhambre who is educated, visionary and a common man like you and me, frustrated by the state of affairs. Let’s give him a chance to showcase his capabilities,” he added.
