MARGAO
As their fate stands sealed in the ballot boxes, which are being guarded by armed security at the South Goa District Collectorate, candidates and their political godfathers are assessing their winning chances to make it to the 25-member Margao municipality.
Notwithstanding the bravado displayed by the panel leaders a day ago in sweeping the elections, the very same leaders appeared moderate in their assessment of the ground situation.
In fact, rivals posed each other challenges to prove their claims of winning a majority or registering a complete sweep in the election.
Take the case of the Model Margao camp backed by Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat. The 11 candidates contesting on the panel were quick to claim victory in all the eleven wards of the council.
In fact, the panel exuded confidence of a clean sweep for the candidates with the overwhelming support of Madganvkars, who they have thanked in advance.
Rival BJP was not ready to accept the Model Margao’s claim. BJP Margao Mandal President Rupesh Mahatme stuck to his stand that the Vibrant Margao should win around 7-8 seats out of the 11 wards at stake in Margao.
“I do not know the basis on which the Congress claims it will sweep the polls. The rival camp should know that the BJP has a base spread across Margao. We are hopeful of getting 7-8 seats in the elections,” he added.
The Vibrant Margao panel leaders claimed that the party is expected to put up a good show in party pockets such as Comba, where two seats are at stake, besides the market and Malbhat wards.
“The panel has bright chances of winning in wards 15 and 19 and may have an outside chance in ward 22, which has one part of Moti Dongor,” remarked another BJP leader.
In neighbouring Fatorda, the Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai exuded confidence of winning majority of the seats from both Fatorda and Curtorim. “We had gone to the people with a clear agenda and are confident the people will endorse our plan for Fatorda,” he said.
Sources, in the know, however, say though the Fatorda Forward panel is strong in many wards, party leaders have suddenly realized that polling did not take place on expected lines in a couple of wards, which may affect its prospects.
The spectre of splits in the party votes in wards such as 9, 10 and 11 has also come to haunt the Goa Forward leadership, sources said.
The BJP, on the other hand, has exuded confidence of winning majority seats in Fatorda. Even as Fatorda BJP leader Damu Naik insisted that the Vibrant Margao will win in at least 7-8 seats, sources said the ruling party should be more than happy if they manage to checkmate the Goa Forward chief in 4-5 seats.
