MARGAO
Campaign for the Curtorim Zilla Panchayat bye-poll is heading for an interesting finish with the two strong contenders - Congress candidate Moreno Rebello and his close rival Dionisio Sardinha - winding up their hectic electioneering with public meetings at the Curtorim market.
Many in Curtorim have termed the tussle for the Curtorim ZP seat as a Congress versus Congress battle.
While the Congress candidate has received the backing of the local MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, Curtorim MLA Clafacio Dias and Velim MLA Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Dionisio Sardinha has received the backing of the ruling Curtorim panchayat body led by Sarpanch Rupesh Naik, who incidentally is the vice-president of the Curtorim block Congress committee.
Both Reginaldo and
Clafacio along with five Panchayat members of the Curtorim panchayat body were present for Congress candidate Moreno's public meeting at the Curtorim market. Sardinha's meeting was attended by the village Sarpanch Rupesh and the six members ruling body. Shallom Sardinha, son of former South Goa MP Franciso Sardinha, also addressed the meeting of Dionisio Sardinha at the Curtorim market a day ago.
While the Congress camp is bubbling with confidence that the Hand symbol coupled with the support of Party MLAs, Reginaldo, Clafacio and Filipe Neri, has given the party candidate Moreno an upper hand in the election, the rival camp said the election is heading for a close finish. The Dionisio Sardinha camp pointed out that while the Dionisio is strong in Curtorim village, efforts were made by his camp to make inroads in Sao Jose de Areal and Macazana villages.
The Curtorim ZP seat comprises of the villages of Curtorim, Sao Jose de Areal and Macazana. Bye- election for the Curtorim ZP seat has been necessitated following the resignation of then ZP member Clafacio Dias upon his election as the MLA of Cuncolim constituency.
