Aam Aadmi Party’s entry into Cuncolim with bureaucrat Elvis Gomes as a probable candidate in the fray has triggered a debate in the constituency over the impact the new political entrant will have on the established players eyeing the 2017 Assembly poll.
With elections less than eight months away, as many as four players have positioned themselves in Cuncolim constituency to take a shot at the coming poll, including sitting BJP Rajan Naik, former MLA Joaquim Alemao, Clafacio Dias and Adv John Monteiro.
A host of questions have come to the fore in Cuncolim political circles whether the presence of AAP/Elvis in the electoral ring will help the BJP retain the seat due to a division in the secular vote a la the 2012 election.
With Naik, Alemao, Adv Monteiro and now Elvis Gomes all having a base in the Cuncolim municipal area, questions are being raised whether Clafacio Dias will benefit electorally in the constituency’s panchayat areas, comprising of Macazana, Chandor, Guirdolim, Paroda and Ambaulim. Moreover, with the dominant caste factor somewhat playing an influencing role in Cuncolim’s politics over the years, question are asked whether the presence of local boy, Elvis will clash with the interest of Joaquim Alemao, who was expected to pocket a sizeable vote in the Cuncolim municipal area.
When The Goan contacted the four players, they all welcomed Elvis and AAP in Cuncolim, with each of the probable candidates only saying the new entrant will end up in affecting their rivals.
Sitting BJP MLA, Rajan Naik, who has decided to run for the second term in the 2017 election, said he is happy to know that Elvis is planning to throw his hat in the ring. “People say that more the candidates in the fray, better for BJP. I am also of the same opinion that the presence of more candidates will keep the BJP in good stead. I feel that some of the voters who are not in favour of BJP will now go to Elvis and the AAP and not to the Congress”, Rajan said. The BJP MLA and his close aides know for sure that Elvis’ presence will keep him in good stead, hoping a split in the non-BJP votes in the minority-dominated constituency.
On the other hand, Rajan’s close rival and former two-time MLA Joaquim Alemao has welcomed Elvis Gomes in the fray. “I don’t think Elvis’ presence will in any way affect my prospects. On the contrary, his presence will affect candidates who claim to have a base in the constituency’s rural areas”, Joaquim said, while hinting that Elvis/AAP’s presence will affect his friend-turned-foe Clafacio Dias.
Commenting on the general perception that the presence of more candidates will boost the prospects of the BJP in Cuncolim again, Joaquim ruled out a split in secular vote this time round. “The situation was different in 2012. This time, the BJP will not benefit out of the split in the non-BJP or secular votes”, he said.
Joaquim’s challenger and Congress party strong contender, Clafacio Dias said the changing political scenario will certainly go in his favour when all his rivals will be vying for votes in the Cuncolim municipal areas. “Unlike my rivals, I have my base in the villages. Elvis’ presence will vertically divide the vote in municipal area. Those who are trying to make a comeback will be hit hard, especially in the municipal area, where Elvis is expected to perform better than in the villages”, Clafacio said, while clearly hinting that Elvis will eat into the votes of his rival Joaquim Alemao in the municipal area.
Adv John Monteiro, who had played spoil sport to Joaquim Alemao in the 2012 election when he polled close to 5000 votes, said he is watching the emerging situation. “Let us wait and see how AAP and Elvis go about in Cuncolim. Only after Elvis quits and hits the campaign trail, we will be able to gauge the situation”, Monteiro said.
