MARGAO
What exactly has gone wrong in Nuvem in the just concluded Lok Sabha election for Congress turncoat Alexio Sequeira, Salcete lone Minister in the BJP government headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant?
In the run up to the May 7 Lok Sabha, the Environment Minister had exuded confidence of the BJP taking a lead in Nuvem. In fact, Sequeira did not stop making repeated pleas to the Nuvem electorate to vote for the BJP in order to strengthen his hands and the hands of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
While the seasoned political heavyweight appeared confidence personified that the BJP would take a lead in Nuvem, sources said Sequeira was given a modest target by the BJP leadership to secure around 5,000-6,000 votes (not a lead) for the BJP in the segment.
As it turned out, however, Sequeira’s hopes to make it big in the minority-dominated Nuvem simply crashed when the EVMs were opened on June 4. In fact, BJP candidate Pallavi had to be content with a mere 2,677 votes as against a whopping 16,365 vote secured by the Congress, giving Captain Viriato an unassailable 13,688 vote lead.
Take note, BJP candidate Adv Narendra Swaikar had polled around 2,525 votes in Nuvem in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Compare Sawaikar’s 2,525 votes to the 2,677 votes polled by Pallavi and it’s clear that the BJP vote has increased in the minority stronghold by just 152 votes.
A host of factors seemed to have contributed to Captain’s Viriato’s huge victory in Nuvem at a time when Sequeira appeared going systematically in his bid to storm the Congress fort. The special train organized by the Congress-turned-BJP Nuvem MLA to ferry pilgrims to Vailankani, inauguration of futsal grounds, launching of underground cabling project, distribution of water tanks to the constituents et al were all seen as clear attempts to woo the electorate before the Lok Sabha polls.
However, a host of political leaders, besides people cutting across political party lines simply left behind their differences to work in their own way for the success of the Congress candidate. Three former MLAs Radharao Gracias, Mickky Pacheco and Wilfred D’Sa all campaigned separately in the segment and not to mention the Congress workers led by Everson Vales and others to drum up support for Captain Viriato.
Majorda panch member Creson Antao said many people worked behind the scenes to unite the people and politicians to rally behind the Congress. “There was difference of opinion on many issues, but everyone ensured that nothing should come in the way of Captain Viriato’s campaign”, he said.
A glance at the result showed that the BJP candidate could cross the three digit figures only in five out of the total 40 polling booths in Nuvem. The maximum vote polled by Pallavi was around 320 votes in polling booth number one. So pronounced was Congress victory in Nuvem that the BJP candidate could not take a lead in any of the 40 polling booths.
