MARGAO
The battle lines are finally drawn for the South Goa Lok Sabha seat. The Congress has zeroed in on Captain Viriato Fernandes to protect the fort in the May 7 Lok Sabha polls to ward off a challenge from arch rival BJP’s candidate Pallavi Dempo and the Revolutionary Goans Party’s nominee Rupert Pereira.
But, hold on. There’s another battle of sorts emerging around South Goa countryside. Arch political rivals are bracing up for yet another round of battle in the May 7 Lok Sabha polls in the one-upmanship before they cross swords again two years from now in the 2027 Assembly election.
In fact, around half-a-dozen key Assembly segments of the South Goa Parliamentary constituency will be the cynosure of all eyes as the three candidates fielded by the Congress, BJP and the RGP slog on the ground for the May 7 polls.
Take note, the situation may be no better on the ground in the remaining segments in the constituency where local arch political rivals again come face to face as they support and oppose the contesting candidates in the fray.
In fact, the very future of key political players, including Goa Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amit Patkar, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, Goa Forward chief, Vijai Sardesai, BJP leader Damu Naik, former Minister Nilesh Cabral, ex-Dy CM Chandrakant Kavlekar, Independent Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco just to name a few will be at stake in the coming election. For, while BJP nominee Pallavi, or Congress’ Captain Viriato and RGP are expected to make a token presence in the 20 Assembly segments, the grassroot leaders and workers are expected to slog on the ground to hold the fort for the party and the candidates.
Battle for supremacy: CM vs Yuri in Cuncolim
Since the BJP launched a concerted campaign to retain the South Goa seat from the Congress, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has personally descended on the fertile political fields in Cuncolim. The historic village is not new for the Chief Minister as his sister is married in Cuncolim. But, there’s another reason why the Chief Minister has not stopped coming to Cuncolim ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. He has set a clear target to the party rank and file to give the BJP a clear lead in the May 7 polls.
This may only bring him face to face with Opposition leader Yuri Alemao, who represents the Cuncolim constituency in the Goa Legislative Assembly. If Chief Minister Sawant with ex-MLA Clafacio Dias in tow has kicked off the Lok Sabha campaign in support of party candidate, Pallavi Dempo, the opposition leader isn’t going to sit quiet and watch play a mute spectator to the BJP’s game plan to successfully strike Cuncolim.
For, none other than Yuri knows for sure that the ensuing battle is not just crucial for Captain Viriato, but for him personally too to prove a point or two to his opponents that he is well in control of Cuncolim in the political scheme of things.
Game of one-upmanship in Fatorda constituency
Will the May 7 battle for the South Goa Lok Sabha seat bring arch political rivals, Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai and BJP leader Damu Naik in the battle for supremacy over Fatorda? The duo has fought as many as four electoral battles in the game of one-upmanship. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Goa Forward chief had thrown his lot behind the NDA nominee Narendra Sawaikar by addressing his public meeting at the Lohia Maidan. The Congress, however, had led over the BJP and the NDA in the Fatorda segments by a couple of votes last time round.
With Sardesai now extending support to the Congress given that his party was a pre-poll alliance partner of the main Opposition party, local political observers do not rule out the possibility of a battle of sorts between Sardesai and Damu in the coming polls. The former two-time BJP MLA has started the party’s campaign in Fatorda in right earnest to drum up support for Pallavi Dempo. The Goa Forward chief, on the other hand, is presently holed up in London and is expected to kick off the campaign for the INDIA bloc candidate after his return on April 10.
Altone, Kavlekar set for another contest in Quepem
The duo had fought a bitter battle in the 2022 Assembly polls before incumbent MLA Altone D’Costa emerged triumphant after arch political rival, Chandrakant Kavlekar’s fort came crumbling down after two decades of rules.
The duo, sources say are expected to cross swords in the coming Lok Sabha polls. Kavlekar had emerged as a strong contender for the BJP ticket before the party zeroed in on industrialist Pallavi Dempo for South Goa. Kavlekar, however, has not only extended support to the BJP, but has promised to give Pallavi a lead in Quepem.
Sources said Congress MLA Altone D’Costa, who along with PCC chief Amit Patkar, Opposition leader Yuri Alemao had strongly batted for Captain Viriato for the ticket, is expected to go all out not just to protect his fort from crumbling but to give the much needed lead for the Congress candidate in Quepem.
Battle between arch rivals in Curchorem on cards
Before he took over the reins of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee, incumbent Congress chief Amit Patkar had thrown his hat in the election ring to take on BJP leader and then Minister Nilesh Cabral in Curchorem. With Nilesh Cabral backing BJP nominee Pallavi Dempo and Amit Patkar emerging as Captain Viriato’s strong ally in the race for the party ticket, a ding dong battle between the two arch rivals is not ruled out in Curchorem in the coming polls.
Take note, the BJP’s vote margin in the Curchorem Assembly segment in the 2019 LS polls had come down, throwing up questions in political circles. That Amit Patkar gave a tough fight to Cabral before going down fighting in the 2022 Assembly polls shows that another round of battle between the duo is on the cards in 2024.
