Allies look forward to surpass all previous poll records in these two segments
MARGAO
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had emerged as Congress’ major challenger in the two minority-dominated segments of Benaulim and Velim. Reason: In these two segments, the BJP has never been a challenger for the Congress party. But, the Congress feared that the Arvind Kejriwal-led party may eat into the Congress votes in these two crucial segments, and threaten the party’s overall vote lead position in the constituency.
Five years down the line, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is virtually leading the INDIA bloc campaign in both Benaulim and Velim in support of Congress candidate Captain Viriato Fernandes, raising hopes that the Congress-AAP unity will help consolidate and channelise the non-BJP votes towards the Alliance bloc.
Indeed, if INDIA bloc is visible in any of the Assembly segments in South Goa constituency, it’s in the two minority-dominated segments of Benaulim and Velim represented by Aam Aadmi Party MLAs Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva respectively in the Goa Legislative Assembly.
The presence of Revolutionary Goans Party candidate Rubert Pereira in the South Goa Lok Sabha election fray might have had initially given sleepless nights for the Congress leaders, more so after the RGP put up an impressive performance in both Velim and Benaulim in the 2022 Assembly election.
The coming together of Congress, AAP and other parties such as the Goa Forward Party under the INDIA bloc banner, however, seemed to have helped to consolidate the anti-BJP vote towards the Alliance candidate. While AAP leaders led by MLAs Cruz Silva and Venzy Viegas have led campaigns in both Velim and Benaulim under the party banner, the Congress camp went about the campaign separately with Youth Congress president Joel Andrade descending in Velim constituency in support of the party candidate.
Benaulim and Velim along with Nuvem had together given 30,000-plus vote lead for the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, paving the way for Congress candidate Francisco Sardinha’s return to the Lok Sabha.
The INDIA bloc seemed looking forward to surpass all previous poll records in both Benaulim and Velim as leaders of the Opposition parties feel that the concerted and coordinated campaign by the INDIA bloc, has helped create an election fever in these two segments.
Campaign on AAP banner raised eyebrows, but observers feel INDIA candidate will benefit
MARGAO: When the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party stitched the INDIA bloc in New Delhi along with a host of other parties, questions were raised in local circles whether the two parties will gel in Goa, especially in Benaulim and Velim where they had fought a bitter battle vying for the same political space in the minority heartland in the last two Assembly elections.
In fact, many an eyebrow was raised in local political circles in these two segments after Aam Aadmi Party leaders launched the Alliance campaign under the AAP banner. What had further raised eyebrows in political circles, especially in Benaulim, was AAP’s move to induct new members into the party fold during campaigning for the INDIA bloc.
Political observers say AAP must have launched the membership enrollment drive in order to protect and retain its voter base. They, however, hastened to add that the INDIA bloc candidate stands to benefit by AAP’s campaign, as evident by the public meeting held at the Dando grounds, Benaulim, which brought political leaders of different political hues under one banner in support of Captain Viriato Fernandes.
