the goan I network
MARGAO
With the Congress finally deciding to contest the March 22 Zilla Panchayat polls under the party banner, the hunt has begun in the party’s stronghold Salcete to zero in on probable candidates.
While the Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat and Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President (GPCC) Girish Chodankar are expected to play a major role in the allotment of tickets to the nine Zilla Panchayat seats at stake in the minority-dominated taluka, party MLAs Luizinho Faleiro and Reginaldo Lourenco, sources say, will play their own role in the areas of their influence.
South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha, sources said is also expected to play his own role in the selection candidates, not only in Salcete taluka, but in the hinterland talukas as well.
With time running out as the decision to contest the ZP polls have come on the eve of the commencement of the filing of nomination papers on February 27, the party leaders have distributed responsibilities to party men to shortlist potential candidates before the candidates get the final nod from rom the party leadership.
Take for instance Benaulim constituency, which is represented by NCP MLA Churchill Alemao and where the Congress has hardly any organization worth its name. The Goan understands that Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat had last week called the leader of the seafarers’ community, Dixon Vaz, with a clear brief to shortlist probable candidates for the Benaulim and Colva Zilla Panchayats, which have been reserved for OBC.
Sources in the know informed that Dixon is believed to have zeroed in on two former sarpanchas representing Benaulim and Colva villages and the names are likely to be forward to the Digambar-Girish duo before the leadership takes a final call.
South Goa District Congress President Joe Dias, who hails from Velim constituency, is expected to play his own role in identifying and shortlisting probable candidates for the Velim seat.
Sources, however, said a prospective candidate from Velim, who is not on cordial terms with the district party chief, is believed to have approached GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar and the Opposition leader for the Congress ticket. Whether the Girish-Digambar duo will shortlist a candidate other than the one proposed by the South Goa District President remains to be seen.
Curtorim constituency represented by three-time MLA Reginaldo Lourenco has a total of two Zilla Panchayat seats “ Curtorim and Raia. Political observers in private concede that all eyes will be focused on Curtorim and Raia.
Says South Goa District Congress President, Joe Dias: “As per the party schedule, the block committees are mandated to submit the shortlisted list of candidates to the district committee by Thursday evening, before the list is forwarded to the PCC for final selection of candidates”.
