Parties weigh the influence of heavyweights poised to shape battles across nine seats
MARGAO
Exactly a month ahead of the December 20 elections for the South Goa Zilla Panchayat, Salcete’s political satraps — each commanding influence in their respective pockets — have come under sharp focus. Parties and observers alike are keenly watching how these heavyweights will navigate the upcoming polls.
From former Chief Minister Churchill Alemao and his daughter Valanka, to former Ministers Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Avertano Furtado and Mickky Pacheco, along with MLAs Wilfred D’Sa and Curtorim’s Independent MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, mainstream parties are attempting to decode the roles these leaders will play.
The BJP, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and Goa Forward Party are expected to field candidates, but the clout of local satraps continues to weigh heavily on the electoral landscape. With nine Zilla Panchayat seats in Salcete up for grabs, political observers note that these leaders are likely to assert influence either by directly fielding candidates or by steering their supporters toward preferred choices.
Ex-Minister Churchill Alemao and daughter Valanka
Former PWD Minister Churchill Alemao was the first to publicly declare that he will not field candidates in Benaulim or Colva within the Benaulim Assembly constituency, nor in Navelim or Davorlim under Navelim constituency — the very segments Churchill and daughter Valanka have set their eyes on the 2027 Assembly election.
Churchill apparently believes his defeat in the 2022 Assembly election stemmed from his decision to field candidates in the Benaulim and Colva ZP seats during the 2020 polls.
This has sparked a key question in Benaulim and Navelim: With the Alemao duo stepping back, whom will their loyal supporters back in the four ZP constituencies?
Sources say Churchill’s voter base, which backed him in 2022, will still look to him for guidance. But the former Chief Minister remains firm: “I have decided to stay away from the upcoming ZP polls. Hence, my candidates will not be in the fray,” he told The Goan. On how his supporters should vote, he simply responded, “Let them vote for the candidates of their choice.”
Churchill, however, has come under the lens of political observers as a battle for supremacy is expected on the cards for the Benaulim and Colva ZP seats between the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party.
Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco
As an alliance partner in the BJP-led government, all eyes are on the four-time Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco and his strategy in the upcoming polls. Curtorim constituency plays host to two Zilla Panchayat seats — Curtorim and Raia — now reserved for OBC and ST respectively.
The OBC reservation for Curtorim has dramatically reshuffled the political deck. The sitting ZP member, Congress’ Michelle Rebello — wife of Congress leader Reginaldo and arch political rival Moreno Rebello — is now ineligible. The Congress’ alternate choice, an ST candidate in anticipation of a possible ST reservation, is also ruled out.
Reginaldo has already stated publicly that he will field his own candidate for the Curtorim seat, while choosing to stay away from the Raia seat on the plea that too many candidates are expected to throw their hat in the election ring.
Incidentally, this will be the first time that Reginaldo will be testing the political waters on his home political turf after he decided to support the BJP-led coalition government post-2022 Assembly election. Sources say with the seat reservation given him an advantage in candidate selection, many say the Independent MLA may go all out to defend his fortress.
Former Nuvem MLAs Mickky Pacheco and Wilfred D’Sa
Although the BJP fared poorly in the Nuvem segment during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Congress-turned-BJP MLA Aleixo Sequeira has indicated that the party will still put up a candidate for the Nuvem ZP seat.
Political observers are now watching how former Ministers Mickky Pacheco and Wilfred D’Sa position themselves, more so when the duo are expected to make a return to active politics in the 2027 Assembly election.
Wilfred D’Sa, in particular, is attracting attention — whether he will field a panel of candidates for the Nuvem and Colva seats, or instead back a suitable candidate against the Congress, BJP and AAP.
Mickky Pacheco, who has announced his intention to contest the 2027 Assembly elections, also remains a factor.
Notably, the Colva ZP seat includes the villages of Colva and Seraulim, both falling in Benaulim Assembly segment along with Betalbatim and Majorda — the latter two falling within the Nuvem Assembly constituency.
Former Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues
Even as the two key political parties, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party are bracing up to unveil candidates for the Velim ZP seat, questions are being raised whether former Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues will play his role in the coming polls. For, the former Minister has firmly set his eyes on the Velim seat for the 2027 Assembly election as evident by his movement in the constituency. Against this background, political observers wonder whether the former Minister will stay away from the ZP polls or lend his tactical support to the candidates in the fray.
