CANACONA
From messages on social media to the usual meetings and chats with voters, seven of the eight candidates in the Canacona constituency have been deploying every strategy in the book to bank on their communities and woo other voters ahead of the February 14 polls.
All candidates are aware of the common issues and problems confronting residents in Canacona: unemployment, roads, water and electricity, healthcare and community-based development projects.
Candidates and their campaign teams have been busy using technology to create and post audio/video messages about their development work and electoral promises on social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, WhatsApp and Instagram to reach out to voters.
Candidates and their strategists are not leaving anything to chance and are also relying on the old and trusted poll campaigns: public meetings, corner meetings and door-to-door visits to win over voters.
BJP candidate Ramesh Tawadkar began his campaign enthusiastically and even received the support of the chairperson and seven ruling councillors of the Canacona Municipal Council (CMC). Tawadkar’s campaign was boosted by star campaigners like Union Minister Smriti Irani, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, and even some BJP leaders from Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Tawadkar’s strength lies in his ST community, especially in Gaondongrim and Khotigao, but other BJP rebel candidates Isidore Fernandes and Vijay Poi Khot, who are contesting as Independents, are also eyeing these voters.
Former deputy speaker Isidore Fernandes claims to have control of five of the six panchayats of Agonda, Gaondongrim, Khotigao, Loliem-Polem and Poinguinim in the Canacona constituency. Fernandes has been relying on his supporters and connecting with voters as MLA for the last five years. The other candidates consider Fernandes as a major rival in the election. His campaign has been boosted with the support of several members of the Canacona BJP Mandal and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), which controls booth level committees. Fernandes is also banking on the support from his Catholic community in the constituency.
The other rebel BJP candidate, Vijay Poi Khot, is relying on the support of his Saraswat community and many current and former panchas in Poinginnim, Loliem-Polem and Shrishthal. Strong and loyal karyakartas, well-wishers and supporters from the Saraswat community are publicly vouching for Poi Khot’s candidature.
Congress candidate Janardhan Bhandari is seeking maximum support from the Bhandari community and its parent body, the OBC Mahasangh. The Congress leaders like former Karnataka minister R V Deshpande, former Karwar MLA Satish Sail and Digambar Kamat, some panchas and several party workers have been actively campaigning for Bhandari.
However, Congress votes will be split due to the presence of former Congress leader turned Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Mahadev Dessai. Dessai had been actively campaigning for many months hoping to get the Congress party ticket and when it was denied to him, left the party and joined the TMC. His early campaign has earned him a strong connection with the voters. Dessai belongs to the Dessai community and has a close connection with his community.
AAP candidate Adv Anoop Kudtarkar has been campaigning with a focus on his clean, educated and capable image. Kudtarkar has been involved in tournaments, allowing him to interact with youth. Kudtarkar is a member of the Kshatriya Pagi Samaj and is banking on the support of members from his community.
The other member from the Kshatriya Pagi Samaj is Revolutionary Goans candidate Prashant Pagi, and he is also relying on votes from the community. He had been highlighting public issues and problems a few months before elections were declared and had been meeting people for their support and votes. Of the eight candidates, Independent candidate Kanay Pagi has had a limited campaign and has been covering certain areas in the constituency.
