MARGAO
Bharatiya Janata Party’s limited presence in minority concentrated Salcete and the absence of a wave in favour of the ruling party may come as a consolation for the Opposition Congress in its traditional stronghold.
It’s, however, not going to be a walkover for the Congress party in Salcete this time round, with a host of like-minded political parties vying for the non-BJP vote. In fact, in at least five out of the eight seats at stake around Salcete countryside, these non-BJP political parties are slogging on the ground fighting for a slice of the opposition space to make it to the Goa Legislative Assembly.
Unlike the 2017 poll, when the Congress and like-minded parties, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Goa Forward Party (GFP) swept the polls, winning all the eight crucial seats at stake in Salcete, the Congress this time is grappling with an unprecedented challenge to protect its fort from crumbling to like-minded political parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress party, besides a couple of Independents.
None other than Congress leaders know for sure that any setback in Salcete may come as a dampener to the party’s hopes of returning back to power after a decade. For, the party had come close to form the government in 2017, primarily after the party won six out of the eight seats at stake, with the remaining two seats going to the NCP and the Goa Forward.
With around 10 days to go for the February 14 election, the ground situation reveals that the BJP and the Congress-Goa Forward combine are locked in a close battle in the three seats of Margao, Fatorda and Cuncolim. In the remaining five seats of Velim, Nuvem, Benaulim, Navelim and Curtorim, however, non-BJP parties, including the TMC, AAP, NCP, besides Independents and not to mention Revolutionary Goans Party are locked in the battle for the ballot.
Take the case of Benaulim. A royal battle is underway for the Benaulim seat between sitting Trinamool Congress MLA Churchill Alemao and challenger, Venzy Viegas of the Aam Aadmi Party. The Congress has joined the battle only recently, with the party nominating Tony Dias for the seat only a few days ago.
The Congress, which has not won the Benaulim seat for the last 20 years since 2002, is facing a challenge of sorts to bounce back in coastal Salcete.
In neighbouring Navelim, the Congress is again facing a challenge from these women candidates, Valanka Alemao contesting on the Trinamool Congress banner and Aam Aadmi Party candidate, Pratima Coutinho to prevent its fort from crumbling. Both the TMC and AAP had made its presence felt in Navelim before the Congress could announce party candidate for the seat. Besides the TMC and AAP, the Congress will have to grapple with the Congress rebel Rehan Mujawar, who is contesting on the NCP banner. Incidentally, the BJP is also in the fray in Navelim for the first time in recent election, apparently out to capitalise on a perceived split in the Congress vote.
The situation is no different in Velim, where Congress candidate Savio D’Silva is in the fray. His rivals include ex-Minister Filipe Nery contesting on the NCP, rebel Congressman Benjamin D’Silva on the Trinamool Congress and Aam Aadmi Party nominee Cruz Silva. Velim has been the Congress stronghold over the years, but it also has a history of flowing against the electoral tide.
Nuvem is another constituency witnessing a multi-cornered battle. Congress heavyweight is locked in a keen battle with ex-MLA Wilfred D’Sa contesting the polls as an Independent, besides Trinamool Congress candidate Jose Raju Cabral, Dr Mariano Godinho (AAP) and former MLA Mickky Pacheco, who is in fray on the NCP banner.
In Curtorim, the Congress is facing a battle from Congress-turned-Independent candidate, three-time former MLA Reginaldo Lourenco and the Aam Aadmi Party nominee Dominick Gaunkar. The BJP, which has a significant presence in Curtorim, has fielded a young ST leader Anthony Barbosa, while the Trinamool Congress candidate Anthony Pixote is also in the fray.
Besides these main players out to challenge the Congress’ supremacy in Salcete, sources say the Principal opposition party will have to also contend with the Revolutionary Goans Party which has fielded candidates in all the eight seats.
