GUILHERME ALMEIDA
MARGAO
Call them Samaj Sevaks, political heavyweights or simply career politicians, Salcete has them all.
Heavyweights in their own right, some of whom are in their 60’s, but are out on the field to play yet another innings in their long career spanning decades. They have been Chief Ministers, Ministers and have been representing their electorate for decades now. While some are out on the field trying to defend their forts from crumbling in the February 4 election, others hope to make a comeback after being shown the door in the previous election.
The list appears endless, but topping the list is State Congress president Luizinho Faleiro. He has been the familiar face in the Legislative Assembly for well over 27 years since his first election in 1980 before his long tenure was cut short by Churchill Alemao in 2007. During his two-and-half decade long stint, Faleiro went on to become the State’s Chief Minister twice and held various ministerial positions. He is making a comeback bid in active politics after a decade from his home constituency Navelim.
Closely following Faleiro is Margao MLA Digambar Kamat. Unlike Faleiro, however, Digambar had been continuously representing Margao for the last 22 years since his first election in 1994. Digambar also holds the distinction of successfully completing his full five-year stint as Chief Minister. He has thrown his hat in the electoral ring to play his sixth consecutive innings from his home constituency Margao.
Former PWD Minister Churchill Alemao is back in action. He is making a determined bid to return to the Legislative Assembly after a break of five years. A four-time MLA since his first election in 1989, Churchill was the Chief Minister for a brief period and rose to become MP twice in his political career spanning close to three decades. He is returning to Benaulim constituency after a gap of 15 years.
Former Ministers, Filipe Neri Rodrigues and Mickky Pacheco are both three-time MLAs. A former PWD engineer Filipe Neri entered politics with a kiss in the 1994 election, but came a cropper. He was first elected to the Assembly in 1999 and managed to hold on to the seat in 2002 and 2007 before biting the dust in the 2012 election.
On the other hand, Mickky Pacheco is contesting his fourth election in his political career spanning 15 years. Unlike others, he hasn’t lost a single election since he first embraced electoral politics in 2002 after returning from the USA to cut short Churchill Alemao’s long innings in Benaulim. He holds the distinction of winning all elections, including three elections and one by-election during his decade and half long stint in politics.
Amongst politicians, who are making a determined bid to make it to the Legislative Assembly for the third time, includes sitting Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco and former MLAs, Joaquim Alemao and Damu Naik, both of whom had to bite the dust in the 2012 elections.
*Six-time MLA
*Two-time CM
*Five-time MLA
*One-time CM
*Four-time MLA
*Two-time MP
*Former Minister
*Three-time MLA
*Former Minister
*Three-time MLA
*Former Minister
*Two-time MLA
*Former Minister
*Two-time MLA
*Former Chairman (Corporation)
