One-on-one fight in Nuvem; triangular contest in Curtorim

the goan I network
MARGAO
While the battle for the Nuvem Zilla Panchayat seat has narrowed down to a straight fight between former Nuvem Sarpanch Reuben D'Costa and former Verna Panch Mario Pereira, a no holds barred triangular contest is on the cards for the Curtorim ZP seat.
On the last date of withdrawal of nomination papers on Thursday, only a lone candidate Rudolfina Mascarenhas withdrew her candidature for the Curtorim seat, leaving Congress candidate Moreno Rebello and Independents Dionisio Sardinha and Conceisao Dias in the fray.
The Goan understands that behind the scene attempts made to forge a consensus candidate for the Curtorim seat came a cropper due to differences between the supporters of Moreno and Dionisio, sources said. It is learnt that Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco had drafted Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias to try and forge a consensus between Moreno and Dionisio, but the efforts did not bear fruit primarily due to differences between the supporters.
Though the Curtorim ZP by-poll will witness a triangular fight, the contest, sources said, has narrowed down between Congress candidate Moreno Rebello and Dionisio Sardinha. As reported earlier by The Goan, the presence of Moreno and Dionisio in the fray has split the Reginaldo camp into groups, with one group headed by Curtorim Sarpanch Rupesh Naik rallying behind Dionisio, while panch members Rui Menezes, Simon Barretto and Milagres Rodrigues openly supporting Moreno.
Sources in the Congress camp, however, said that since Moreno is contesting on the Congress party banner, the three Congress MLAs, Reginaldo, Clafacio Dias and Filipe Neri Rodrigues will campaign for the party candidate.
As far as Nuvem by-poll is concerned, Congress candidate Rueben D'Costa has been nominated by Nuvem Congress MLA Wilfred D'Sa. The Nuvem MLA said the party workers from Nuvem constituency will go all out to ensure a huge victory for the party candidate.
Meanwhile, Returning Officer Uday Prabhudesai told The Goan that Parag Nagarsekar is appointed as the election observer for the two ZP seats going to by-poll on August 20.