MARGAO
As curtains have finally come down on the hectic campaigning for the February 14 elections to the Goa Legislative Assembly, candidates and their political parties in Salcete, wherein eight assembly seats are at stake, have been left to wonder how will the “confused” and “silent” voters cast their vote in the ensuing polls.
For, many say the presence of a host of political parties and candidates in the fray has resulted in a State of confusion and indecisiveness amongst the electorate. That’s not all. The free flow of money, with candidates offering money in thousands, has further confused whether the contestants will benefit in terms of a vote or the voters will cast the candidates of their choice.
The Congress, which has been a major beneficiary of the minority vote in its stronghold over the years, is facing a fierce challenge from a host of parties including the Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Nationalist Congress Party, besides a couple of Independents.
The BJP, which has a base in Fatorda, Margao and Cuncolim, has not left a single stone unturned to corner the Congress-Goa Forward alliance. The BJP is also eyeing the Navelim seat, hoping that a multiple split in the non-BJP vote goes in the party’s favour.
The biggest challenge Congress is facing in Salcete is in the constituencies of Benaulim, Navelim, Velim and Curtorim to retain the seats as party candidates are locked in a fierce battle with the non-BJP parties.
A senior Congress leader in private said the new parties have made inroads into the party’s traditional voter base. The leader, however, has hastened to add that the core voters will come out of the confusion and indecisiveness on the last day to cast their votes in favour of the party candidate.
Indeed, a common refrain one has can come across Salcete countryside is that this is perhaps the first time in recent electoral history that voters have been left confused with many major players in the fray. That certain groups have been trying to clear the air of confusion amongst the voters is an indication that confusion reigns amongst the electorate this time round to decide on the choice of candidates and the political parties.
Take the case of Velim constituency, a Congress stronghold over the years. In a Lok Sabha election, Velim tops the list of Salcete segments which gives huge and unassailable leads for the Congress party. In the instant election, Congress is facing a challenge from the non-BJP parties such as the TMC, AAP and the NCP, on whose symbol ex-minister Filipe Nery Rodrigues is in the fray.
Nuvem is another case in point. A host of political parties, including the TMC, AAP, NCP, besides Independent Wilfred D’Sa have slogged on the ground to woo the electorate. Take note, both in Velim and Nuvem, the candidates and the political parties have all gone to the electorate, with the agenda of stopping the BJP from returning to power.
Congress leaders in private, however, take solace in the fact that both Velim and Nuvem have been party strongholds and the “Hand” symbol will keep the party and its candidates in good stead.
In Curtorim too, confusion prevails amongst the electorate as the Congress is facing a challenge from ex-MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, who is in the fray as an Independent. The party had to also contend with the Aam Aadmi Party, which has fielded Raia ZP member Dominic Gaunkar.
While the Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi have tried hard to explain to the electorate that the Independent candidate is being supported by the BJP, Reginaldo has gone across Curtorim that he will never support the BJP, leaving the voters in a confused state.
Other non-BJP parties are also facing a similar predicament. Take the case of Benaulim, where TMC sitting MLA Churchill Alemao is facing a challenge from AAP candidate Venzy Viegas. Even as the two parties are battling it out on the ground, Congress candidate Tony Dias has made a determined bid to make inroads into the constituency, only throwing up questions whether the ensuing battle is a straight fight between AAP and TMC or will end up in a triangular fight, with a further question who will benefit out of the vote split.
