RGP unlikely to make significant impact in constituency
CANACONA
A voter turnout of 78.69% in Canacona constituency, the third highest in South Goa, and more importantly, a significant increase in voters in comparison to the 2019 polls, have left both the BJP and the Congress confident of polling maximum votes on account of different strategies.
While the BJP is upbeat about a ‘massive’ lead, the Congress is banking on ‘silent, resolute’ votes to give it an edge. The regional party RGP is unlikely to make a significant impact in Canacona constituency.
Incidentally, the number of voters rose significantly by almost 2,000, from a 25,245 turnout in 2019 to 27,134 voters on Tuesday.
TRENDS
According to political analysts, voting patterns indicated that Congress could get some lead in Agonda and Shristhal panchayats, while it would be an even contest for the two main parties in the ST-dominated Gaondongrim and Cotigao villages, with any one party taking slender leads in both villages.
Several voters in this ST-dominated belt, who are otherwise die-hard BJP voters, are believed to have voted against the BJP and some of them revolted by voting for the Revolutionary Goans Party candidate Rubert Pereira.
Congress is believed to have garnered a substantial vote share particularly from those voters disgruntled with Canacona’s BJP MLA Ramesh Tawadkar.
The Congress may not have fared as per expectations in Poinguinim village, which has many areas which are a stronghold of the Congress, and is most likely to concede a crucial lead to BJP in this village.
Loliem is another area where the contest is likely to go down the wire and the Congress is expecting to have secured more votes in Maxem, Shellim, Peddem and Kajalkar. On the other hand, Polem, Agas and other parts of the village are expected to neutralise the leads gained by Congress in favour of the BJP.
Canacona municipality will play a crucial role as it can determine the lead that BJP can garner in the constituency.
With over 7,900 voters exercising their franchise in the municipality, BJP is banking on a huge lead.
BJP ASSESSMENT
The BJP was confident of leads in all six panchayats and one municipality of Canacona in the constituency.
“The Panna-Pramukh concept played a vital role in reaching out to every voter of the constituency to vote for BJP,” said Canacona BJP Mandal President Vishal Dessai.
“We have 1,147 Panna-Pramukhs in the 59 booths of Canacona alone. Each one of these Panna-Pramukhs had the responsibility to reach out to 30 voters and this is the gain BJP is banking on.”
“Similarly, we had all BJP Karyakartas, five sarpanchas and many panchas in Canacona, besides the chairperson and all 11 councillors of Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) working wholeheartedly for the BJP party.”
CONGRESS ASSESSMENT
INDI Alliance Spokesperson Vikas Bhagat said Canacona has delivered a strong mandate through “silent but resolute” voting.
“Despite facing challenges, particularly the lack of support from the majority of Councillors and Panchayats in our canvassing efforts for the INDI Alliance candidate, our dedicated supporters from AAP, Congress and Goa Forward came together as a unified force,” said Bhagat.
Canacona Congress Block President Abel Borges also said the INDI Alliance did exceptionally well, despite all odds.
