SANGUEM
The BJP regained complete control in the hinterland constituencies of Sanguem and Sanvordem, with voters in the mining belt giving a thumb’s up to its candidates Subhash Phaldessai and Ganesh Gaonkar.
SANGUEM
BJP candidate Subhash Phaldessai returned to power in Sanguem constituency, after defeating independent candidate Savitri Kavlekar, wife of former deputy chief minister Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar, who also lost in his Quepem constituency.
Kavlekar may have increased her tally from 5,736 votes in 2017 to 7,295 votes this time round, but it was not enough to defeat Phaldessai who had polled 6,699 votes in 2017 but significantly increased his tally to 8,724 votes in the present elections, to win for a second time in Sanguem constituency.
Except for Uguem panchayat and Sanguem municipality, where Kavlekar remained on top, it was the BJP which controlled the other panchayats of Sanguem constituency, with Congress candidate Prasad Gaonkar being left far behind.
The turning point which made a big difference is the votes polled by Phaldessai in Neturlim, Rivona and Bhati panchayats where Phaldessai increased his lead to over 1,000 to decide the final winner.
Kavlekar's supporters had expected outgoing MLA Prasad Gaonkar to poll over 6,500 votes and increase her chances of getting elected. But Gaonkar fared very badly by polling only 4,644 votes, as against the 7,636 votes polled by him in the last hustings. Gaonkar could only secure the traditional Congress votes.
In his native Pirla village, Phaldessai polled 1,120 votes as against 647 votes polled by Kavlekar and 455 votes polled by Gaonkar and this made a significant difference.
Similar was the case in nearby Rivona village where Phaldessai polled 1,452 votes as against 975 votes polled by Kavlekar.
Speaking after his victory, Phaldessai claimed voters in Sanguem were wise and even after a rival candidate had poured crores of rupees it failed to influence voters.
Asked if if he had any chance of making it to the ministry, Phaldessai claimed the decision on whether or not to induct him in the ministry would be decided by the party.
SANVORDEM
The PWD job scam and denial of the BJP ticket are some of the factors which proved costly for former minister Deepak Prabhu Pauskar in Sanvordem constituency.
It was sweet revenge for Ganesh Gaonkar, who had been defeated by Pauskar in the 2017 elections.
Pauskar had secured 14,575 votes in the 2017 assembly elections as against the 9,354 votes polled by BJP candidate Ganesh Gaonkar. This time round, Pauskar votes dropped to 6,687 while Gaonkar increased his tally to 11,877 votes, thereby giving BJP the victory.
Incidentally, Sanvordem constituency had been a MGP bastion but the electorate chose to remain with the BJP, given the development the constituency had witnessed in recent years.
Though mining activities remain badly hit during the BJP regime, it did not deter the voters from this predominant mining belt to vote for BJP candidate Ganesh Gaonkar.
Except for Sanvordem Panchayat, where Pauskar got a lead, Gaonkar secured a lead in all other panchayats.
In the mining belt, which comprises the panchayats of Sanvordem, Dharbandora, Dabal, Collem and Kalay, Gaonkar secured a cut majority.
In Kalay panchayat, Gaonkar polled 1,539 votes as against 777 votes polled by Pauskar, while in Sancordem, Gaonkar polled 1506 votes while Pauskar secured 757 votes.
In the mining area of Dabal panchayat, Gaonkar secured 2,429 votes as against 1,079 votes polled by Pauskar.
Gaonkar attributed his victory to Rajya Sabha member Vinay Tendulkar who had been with him all through the election campaign. Gaonkar also thanked voters from his constituency for getting him elected.
