MARGAO
Three-time Fatorda MLA and Scheduled Tribe leader, Luis Alex Cardozo, affectionately called Mama Cardozo, passed away on Saturday after a brief illness.
He was 77 and is survived by his son Tito and three daughters.
Mama Cardozo had dominated the Fatorda political scene for a decade a half since the constituency was carved out of the erstwhile Navelim constituency. Having started his political journey as a Margao municipal councillor in the year 1985, Mama Cardozo contested the 1989 election on the Congress banner and made his debut in the Goa Legislative Assembly that year.
He soon rose to become a minister and later went on to hold the portfolios of Panchayat and Forests.
Mama Cardozo retained the seat in the 1994 polls and scored a hat-trick from Fatorda by again winning the seat in the 1999 polls.
Offering his condolences, Opposition leader Digambar Kamat said Mama Cardozo has been his personal friend over the years. “Mama Cardozo was one of the top leaders of the Scheduled Tribe community. Every election, the Congress had utilized the services of Mama Cardozo to canvass for votes of the ST community”, he said.
Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai expressed his grief over the passing away of Mama Cardozo. “I had called on him during the ongoing campaign. A Congressman, Mama Cardozo has been a tall leader representing the ST community and has been our well-wisher”, Sardesai said.
