MARGAO
Three days to go for the February 4 election, and the three sitting MLAs Avertano Furtado, Benjamin D’Silva and Caitu Silva have come under the spotlight in minority heartland Salcete, seeking re-election in the three constituencies of Navelim, Velim and Benaulim.
In the 2012 election, all the three first time MLAs, Avertano, Benjamin and Caitu rode on a strong anti-Congress wave in Salcete. Their victories left the Congress struggling in its stronghold perhaps for the first time in decades.
Five years down the line, Avertano, Benjamin and Caitu are all feeling the heat from political opponents. Their partnership with the BJP-led government has come to haunt them as their opponents have exposed their BJP leanings.
Whether it’s Navelim, Velim or Benaulim, the opponents tried to cash in on the BJP tag of the three sitting MLAs against the backdrop of certain government decisions which were not perceived as favourable to the minorities.
Facing the onslaught, the trio, however, is banking on the single plank of development to overcome the BJP tag and prevent their respective forts from crumbling. Avertano, Benjamin and Caitu have systematically gone about demolishing the BJP tag myth with the development mantra. Colourful booklets highlighting the host of development projects in their respective constituencies are in circulation in these three constituencies, hoping it will help contain the opposition's negative propaganda.
If Benjamin has come out with a booklet, containing works estimated a whopping Rs 200 crore, Avertano and Caitu have not lagged behind. In their manifestos, they have highlighted works worth several crores of rupees, unheard of in their respective constituencies in recent times.
