MARGAO
With day one of filing of nomination papers going abegging with no candidate turning up to file their papers, all the key players along with their candidates are all on the field, moving door to door to drum up support for the party-backed candidates.
While Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai moves door to door with his set of candidates in the morning and evening session in Fatorda, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat has almost covered up the 11 wards of Margao area with his candidates till date.
Not to be left behind, the BJP-backed Vibrant Margao headed by Chairman Damu Naik has also been spotted moving door to door with candidates shortlisted by the party.
All the three camps seemed to have effected changes in their candidates, either swapping and shuffling their candidates, with some planning to bring their kith and kin in the fray post-ward reservations.
The Goa Forward party has swapped candidates from one ward to another to ensure that most of the candidates remain in the fray post-ward reservations as per the Supreme Court judgement.
Similar is the case with the Congress-backed group, with Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat on the job to shuffle candidates in the wards hit by the ward reservation.
Leader of the BJP-backed Vibrant Margao is expected to go into a huddle to accord approval for the candidates in the seats which were affected by the reservations.
Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai has swapped the candidates of Ward No 4 and 23 post-reservations. Former MMC Chairperson Pooja Naik, who was scheduled to contest from ward No 23 has now moved into ward No 4 in place of Nimisha Fernandes, who will now contest from ward No 23.
Sources informed that given that Ward No 5 has been reserved for women, Sardesai has decided to filed the wife of party block president Sujay Lotlikar, who was earlier the party candidate for the ward.
The Goa forward party had already swapped the candidates of Ward No 2 & 3 to beat the ward reservations.
Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, sources said, is toying with the idea of fielding outgoing Councilor Doris Texeira in ward No 13. Incidentally, while BJP leader and sitting Councilor was scheduled to contest from Ward no 13, reservation of the ward for women has ruled out him out of the fray. Sources say Ketan may field his sister from the ward.
Similarly, the ward reservation has ruled out former MMC Chairperson Rajendra Ajgaonkar, brother of Dy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar, out of the fray. Rajendra, however, has decided to field his daughter from the ward.
The Opposition leader said barring one or two wards, most of the candidates have been finalized for the ensuing election. He, however, said no final decision has been taken on the question of fielding his son Yogiraj from Ward No 18.
