AAP candidate vows stronger sports infrastructure as she challenges 20-year Raia ZP family hold
Footballer and coach Jeromina Colaco to test the political waters in Raia under the Aam Aadmi Party banner in the upcoming ZP polls.
MARGAO
From the football field to the political arena, footballer and coach Jeromina Colaco has decided to test the political waters for the Raia Zilla Panchayat seat on the Aam Aadmi Party banner.
Born in Barebhat, Arlem, where she spent her childhood, football was a natural part of Jeromina’s daily life from an early age. She was drawn to the sport not only because of her passion, but because it is a team game that brings children together and nurtures sportsmanship. Over time, football became an inseparable part of young Jeromina’s life.
Her deep connection with the sport eventually led her into coaching. Jeromina has represented Goa in Under 14 and Seniors. Presently she has been actively training local footballers. She has been consistently helping young players develop their skills, boost their confidence, and grow as athletes. She is now focusing on creating better sports infrastructure for youth in her locality. Her dream is to provide talented children from smaller villages with proper coaching, good facilities, and opportunities to compete at State and national levels.
As she hopes to inspire Goan youth to dream big and believes that they must receive the right support to achieve those dreams, Jeromina has stepped beyond the football field and entered the political arena to push for better administrative systems and sports development.
Jeromina says she chose the Aam Aadmi Party because she feels its ideology is clear and aligned with her values—a party where social service comes first, and politics comes later.
Jeromina will cross swords against ex-ZP member Fatima Dominick Gaonkar, who has filed her nomination papers for the Raia ZP seat. In fact, the Dominick Gaonkar family has been representing the Raia seat for the last 20 years, with sitting ZP member Dominick representing the seat thrice and wife Fatima once in the 25-year history of the Zilla Panchayat.
The Congress and Goa Forward are yet to officially declare its candidate for the Raia seat, even as the Revolutionary Goans Party candidate Antoneta Fernandes filed her papers for the seat on Saturday.
