the goan I network
MARGAO
Bracing up for a showdown with the Congress in the 2022 Assembly poll, the Goa Forward Party constituted its Cuncolim Block Committee with focus on the villages that had stood by incumbent MLA Clafacio Dias in the 2017 election.
Not only is the Cuncolim Goa Forward Block headed by former Paroda Sarpanch Gabriel Fernandes, but as many as 10 out of the 12 office bearers hail from the villages of Chandor, Guirdolim, Macazana and Paroda, indicating that the Goa Forward, which will be testing the political waters in Cuncolim in 2022, is out to checkmate Congress MLA, who had a virtual free run in these villages last time.
In the 2017 Assembly election, former Minister Joaquin Alemao, who had contested the election as an independent, had lost the seat by around 30 votes, primarily because he could not stop Clafacio’s free run in the villages of Chandor, Macazana, Guirdolim and Ambaulim. Of the eight vice-presidents of the block committee, as many as seven hail from the village, with former Cuncolim Municipal Council Vice-chairperson Shashank Desai being the lone exception.
Goa Forward Vice-president Durgadas Kamat did not hide the reasons behind appointing more members from the village panchayat areas on the Cuncolim Block Committee.
At a media briefing held to announce the block panel in the presence of Joaquim Alemao, Yuri Alemao and the block committee members, Kamat said while Yuri is strong in the Cuncolim municipal area, the block members from the villages will not only help strengthen the party, but take the party’s work to the doorsteps of the people at the grassroots level.
He said GF has set a target of around 6000-7000 vote margin victory in Cuncolim in the next election.
Cuncolim constituency has a total of 42 booths, with 22 booth in the Cuncolim municipal area having around 14100 electorate, while the remaining voters are spread in the 20 polling booths in the villages.
That’s not all. The Goa Forward Party has plans to open another office in the constituency in Chandor village.
Yuri Alemao told the media that Goa Forward with the guidance and assistance of party chief and Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai has addressed many an issue plaguing Cuncolim, including the power issue, Chandor SH 8, Cuncolim highway alignment and opposition to the housing project for the homeless.
Saying there’s a disconnect between the people and the elected representatives, Yuri lamented that developmental projects brought into Cuncolim by Joaquim Alemao are craving for attention for want of upkeep and maintenance.
He also expressed concern over serious illegalities, alleging that a land mafia is involved in development of plots in Paroda without permissions.
