MARGAO
Will Congress maintain its stranglehold over its fiefdom in minority Salcete, or, will the non-BJP parties rock the Congress boat which may affect the principal opposition party’s game plan to return to power in 2022. Still, will the Lotus bloom in a seat or two in the minority stronghold to give the ruling party a couple of bonus seats to take their tally to the magic figure?
These and a host of questions are a subject matter of debate as Saxttikars in particular and Goans, in general, are waiting with bated breath for the outcome of the Assembly elections with just a day to go for the counting on Thursday.
The bravado, notwithstanding, Congress leadership knows for sure that any setback in its traditional stronghold Salcete may have a bearing on the party’s final tally of seats.
That’s not all. Political observers say Congress’ performance in Saxttidom may also have a bearing on Opposition Leader Digambar Kamat, in the event of the party’s poor showing in the minority stronghold compared to areas beyond Salcete, including Bardez.
In the 2017 election, the Congress and like-minded parties, including the Nationalist Congress Party and the Goa Forward Party had made a clean sweep in Salcete, winning all the eight seats at stake. The BJP had drawn a blank in Salcete. Congress’ sweep in Salcete was primarily attributed to the party’s overall tally of 17 seats and coming close to forming the government.
As things stand today, Congress is keeping its fingers crossed on the question of whether the party will repeat the 2017 performance in 2022. And, the reasons are not far too seek. In fact, the Congress had to encounter a serious challenge from like-minded parties, including the Trinamool Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, besides the Nationalist Congress Party and a couple of Independents.
Political observers say that like-minded parties such as the TMC and AAP have relegated the Congress to the background in constituencies at least of Benaulim and Navelim.
That’s not all. The party had to grapple with the challenge of Independents in two of its strongholds, Curtorim and Nuvem, which till recently had been the party’s fiefdom. And, to mention the NCP, which is in contention for the Velim seat.
Poll pundits do not foresee Congress repeating its 2017 performance in its stronghold Salcete.
“The only question that remains unanswered in Salcete is how many seats the Congress can finally win, whether it’s two, three or four”, the observers said.
Political observers say any setback in Salcete may have a bearing on the Congress leadership as well.
“Just imagine a situation wherein the party fails to make it big in Salcete and there’s a sudden Congress surge in Bardez. The power equation may come to haunt Congress in the future even if the party leadership crowns Kamat with the CM’s position for the moment”, observers said.
Trinamool sets eyes on Benaulim, Navelim with father-daughter duo
MARGAO: The Trinamool Congress has firmly set its eyes on the two seats of Benaulim and Navelim, where the father-daughter duo of Churchill and Valanka Alemao are in the fray.
Both Churchill and Valanka have emerged as the strong contenders in Benaulim and Navelim, respectively.
Apart from Benaulim and Navelim, sources say another constituency where the party had put up an impressive performance was Velim, where former MLA Benjamin D’Silva is seeking reelection on the party banner.
TMC leaders including MP Luizinho Faleiro and Churchill Alemao have gone on record saying the party will extend support to form a secular government in the State. That’s not all. Faleiro went to the extent of saying that the TMC national leadership is in touch with its Congress counterparts in a bid to form a non-BJP government in Goa.
AAP pins hopes on Benaulim, Velim, Curtorim and Navelim
MARGAO: The Aam Aadmi Party is in the cynosure of all eyes. The party had made its presence felt in Salcete with its impressive performance in the 2017 Assembly polls.
With as many as eight Assembly seats at stake in Salcete, the AAP leadership had gone all out in the 2022 polls to open its account in Goa.
Amongst the seats, AAP hopes to win are Benaulim, Velim, Curtorim and Navelim, where the party went about in a big way during the campaign. In fact, AAP leadership is exuding confidence to wrest the Benaulim seat this time around after having finished second in the race in the 2017 polls.
While AAP is contesting in all the eight seats in Salcete, the party has pinned its hopes on Benaulim, Velim, Navelim and Curtorim.
