BJP candidate banks on self help groups for victory; rivals say he has lost ground
the goan I network
PANAJI
On the face of it, it appears to be a cakewalk for Pandurang Madkaikar now with the BJP. The three-time Cumbarjua MLA who has won on the tickets of the MGP, the Congress and now seeks to win on a BJP ticket has all first time candidates as opponents.
But elections are never won on paper and with the Congress managing to unite its various leaders in this constituency in favour of their candidate and youth leader Xavier Fialho, no one wishes to hazard a guess as to who will win.
Madkaikar himself has expressed confidence of his win. “For me the question is not whether I can win or not. I have set targets for myself - to win by the highest margin in the State and to get a lead in every single booth in the constituency,” Madkaikar says.
However, there are several obstacles he is likely to face. His decision to switch parties has not gone down well with everybody especially in Catholic dominated Divar where his support has dwindled.
But that will not automatically translate into Congress votes. Sarpanch of Goltim-Navelim panchayat - Prasad Harmalkar, a known face in Divar has thrown his hat in the ring as an independent candidate and is being backed by the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Nirmala Sawant. The Congress’ Xavier Fialho a panch with the Old Goa panchayat, too has made inroads in the village leaving two candidates to mop up the anti Madkaikar vote on the large island.
“For too long people have been living here without proper infrastructure,” Harmalkar told The Goan while on his door-to-door campaign.
On the other hand, the Congress candidate believes his biggest advantage is that he will consolidate the secular vote in his favour because he has the backing of panches and sarpanches of several villages in the constituency.
“We are all in this together. The response has been very positive,” said Fialho who is keen to cover as much area as possible before the elections.
The people themselves are united in their belief that these elections are a “mess” with many candidates in the fray. Against Madkaikar is also Vishal Volvoikar a panch from the Old Goa panchayat who has thrown his hat in the ring, annoyed with the BJP, after it admitted Madkaikar into the party and gave him the ticket.
“The last time round Madkaikar scraped through because he has the self help groups in his grasp and funds them regularly. This time the same equation could play out,” a lady farmer said no sooner she had met the Congress candidate.
