the goan I network
MARGAO
Round one of the counting of votes of the 10 Assembly segments of the South Goa Lok Sabha constituency is very crucial for the main contestants, BJP and the Congress and may as well seal the fate of the Aam Aadmi Party.
In fact, the round one will decide the fate of AAP state convenor and south Goa candidate Elvis Gomes as the Assembly segments of Cuncolim, which is the home constituency of Gomes, besides Benaulim and Nuvem, will be taken up for counting during this round.
The AAP is expected to put up a good show in Benaulim, Cuncolim and Nuvem segments in Salcete taluka and any significant gains by the party is expected to have a negative impact on the Congress, but may ring in good news for the BJP candidate. In fact, the Congress and the BJP camps have been working overtime to find out how many votes would the AAP candidate poll in Benaulim, Cuncolim and Nuvem, which may mar or make the prospects of the two main candidates in the ultimate analysis.
In round one, the officials will take up for counting the two segments from Ponda taluka, namely Ponda and Shiroda, Mormugao and Vasco from Mormugao taluka, the four Salcete segments of Nuvem, Fatorda, Benaulim and Cuncolim and the two hinterland segments of Quepem and Sanvordem.
Round one would be important for the BJP as well as the Congress for the simple reason that both may hope to do well in its traditional strongholds of Ponda, Shiroda, Vasco, Mormugao, Quepem and Sanvordem and the four segments in Salcete.
The Congress camp will certainly hope to put up a good show in the four segments of Salcete and hope to make gains in BJP’s strongholds such as Ponda and Shiroda, Vasco and Mormugao, besides Quepem and Sanvordem if the party hopes to regain the Goa seat, which it had conceded to the BJP five years ago.
