MARGAO
The BJP has again set its eyes on Fatorda in the 2027 Assembly election, with party core committee member and former MLA Damu Naik saying Fatorda along with Margao are both winnable seats for the party with little extra efforts.
While saying that delimitation of constituencies has affected the party’s prospects in Fatorda since the 2012 assembly election, Damu, however, told the party rank and file that party’s vote share has shown an upward trend despite the defeats in the elections.
Addressing Fatorda mandal members after the installation of newly-elected Mandal president, Margao Municipal Councillor, Shweta Lotlikar in the presence of party leaders, Digambar Kamat, ex-MP Vinay Tendulkar, former Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar and others, Damu said Fatorda can again come into the BJP kitty if the party rank and file put those extra efforts in the election.
“After the delimitation of constituencies, Fatorda has lost its two strongholds, the Housing Board and Comba area. The Housing Board was merged into Curtorim while Comba became part of Margao constituency. This affected the party vote share and resulted in the defeat of the party since 2012,” Damu said.
He, however, said there’s a ray of hope that Fatorda can come back into the BJP kitty in the coming election. “Statistics show that though the party has lost three elections since 2012, our vote share has increased. Even the party has polled more votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. This goes to show that the people of Fatorda are with the BJP. With little extra efforts and by taking the party’s programmes to the people, the party can regain the seat,” he added.
Margao MLA Digambar Kamat said though Damu Naik has lost elections from Fatorda, statistics show the party vote share has increased in every election. He hoped that with Councillor Shweta Lotlikar elected as the new Fatorda Mandal president, the party will rise to great heights in the future.
Outgoing Mandal president Manohar Borkar exuded confidence that Damu Naik will again become the Fatorda MLA in the coming election. “We should all work together to realise the dream of the party winning in Fatorda,” he said.
In her address, the newly elected Mandal president Lotlikar thanked the party leaders and workers for reposing their trust in her, promising to work hard to build the party in the constituency.
