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headlines:
Sidelined and forgotten: South Goa's seat of power needs booster charge
Sidelined and forgotten: South Goa's ailing heart needs resuscitation In Kamat's Margao, same old pains and pangs crying for attention
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Intro: Digambar Kamat has been Margao's undisputed king for more than 20 years. While this is certainly is an achievement for Kamat, who was also the chief minister in his last term, there is nothing to cheer about for
Welcome to Margao -- the State’s commercial capital, the city bustling with trade and commerce. Here, five-time sitting MLA and former chief minister, Digambar Kamat is gearing up for yet another electoral battle in his bid to play the sixth consecutive innings in his political career spanning over two decades. As expected, Kamat is bracing up to face yet another challenge from arch-rival BJP and not to mention the Aam Aadmi Party, which is expected to make a debut in the city’s electoral politics in the coming poll.
Margao constituency comprises the 11 wards of the Margao Municipal Council spread across Aquem, Malbhat, Comba, the city area and areas on the southern side of the railway line, including Pedda, Khareband, Sirvodem, Calcondem and Colmorod.
As things stand today, Kamat’s candidature has been unanimously recommended by the Margao Block Congress committee for his nomination for the party ticket. Political observers say that Kamat should not have any problem in getting the Congress nomination given his status as the five-time sitting MLA and in the absence of any challenger for the party ticket. The only obstacle Kamat may face, observers say, is the Louis Berger bribery scandal case. The former chief minister is yet to be chargesheeted in the case along with the other accused. Questions are being asked in local political circles whether the Congress leadership would give the Margao ticket to five-time MLA in the event the Crime Branch investigating the bribery scandal chargesheet Kamat in the court of law on the eve of the Assembly election. This question also assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of repeated assertion by All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Digvijay Singh that charge sheeted persons will not get the party tickets.
On the other hand, the BJP, which had won the Margao seat for three consecutive terms since 1994, has been virtually struggling to regain the seat after Kamat’s exit from the party in 2005. The only time the party came close to upset Kamat’s apple cart was during the 2005 by-poll. In the 2007 and 2012 Assembly polls, the BJP had come a cropper with Kamat retaining the seat with comfortable margins.
No doubt, the BJP has a strong presence in the city with the party enjoying a considerable following amongst the electorate. But, the absence of formidable leader and coupled with the general perception that there’s no unity in the party rank and file to take on Kamat has apparently come in the way of the party regaining its lost glory in the commercial capital. While Kamat has emerged as the unanimous choice of the Congress for the party candidate, the BJP top brass will have to again grapple with the question -- whether or not to give the ticket to local party leaders, Sharmad Raiturcar, Rupesh Mahatme, Bhai Naik or a new face.
The 2016 Assembly election is expected to be once again a battle between Kamat and the BJP even though the Aam Aadmi Party has disclosed plans to test the political waters in the commercial capital. A new entrant in local politics, the AAP indeed faces a tough time to make inroads in a constituency, which has in the recent past either voted for the BJP or for the Congress.
Who’s to be blamed for the ills plaguing the state’s Commercial capital “ five-time Margao MLA and former chief minister, Digambar Kamat, or the BJP-led government ruling the state?
This question is expected to dominate the coming Assembly poll for the Margao Assembly constituency as the city has not seen major development during the current term “ with the local MLA blaming the BJP for the city’s neglect and the ruling party pointing accusing fingers at the Margao MLA for ignoring the burning issues during his 22-year rule in the city.
In fact, almost all the burning issues, plaguing the city “ right from traffic congestion to construction of parking lots, waste management, health, et al, remain unresolved during the last four years and half. While MLA Digambar Kamat has been quick to blame the ruling BJP dispensation for the utter neglect of the city during the last four years and half, BJP leaders pointed accusing fingers at Kamat for ignoring the city during the last 22 years.
When Manohar Parrikar returned back as the State Chief Minister in March 2012 after the Assembly election, hopes were raised amongst Madgavkars that most of the burning issues facing the city would be finally resolved. In fact, Parrikar had promised to solve the city’s traffic imbroglio after taking over the reigns of office, but in vain. While the government’s promise to appoint a consultant to ease the city’s traffic congestion never saw light of the day, Madgavkars only heard promises to set up parking lots in the city to overcome the parking problem. Promises to set up parking lots at the pick-up stands, old fish market and along the old market-KTC bus stand road, have all come a cropper, with not a single parking facility taking shape till date.
The bus stand is another issue which has been pending over the decades. While Kamat had laid the foundation stone for an ultra-modern bus terminus at the fag end of his term, the project is yet to take concrete shape till date for reasons best known to the powers that be.
Long pending projects such as the district hospital under construction, ring road, waste disposal have all been hanging fire over the last four and half years.
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MLA speak
Digambar Kamat, Cong MLA
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Q. There’s a perception that not much development has taken place in Margao during the last four years and half. Comment.
A. Well, I have been able to take up small works such as construction of nullahs, hot-mixing of roads, etc. I have ensured that the city’s sewerage network is on the right track though it will take another four months to commission the new state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant. Work on the district hospital project has resumed again after I forcefully took up the issue with the government.
Q. But, your opponents accuse you for your failure to put the city’s infrastructure in place despite representing the city for 22 long years.
A. These people should realise that a number of development projects were ushered in the city since the time I was first elected in 1994. The Margao flyover took shape during my tenure, so is the case with the master balancing reservoir. I have put in place the power infrastructure. During my stint as chief minister, I had taken up the Collectorate building, district hospital building and the KTC bus stand. It’s another matter that the bus stand project has been stalled. The government has also failed to appoint a consultant to study the city’s traffic scenario. And, GSUDA is sitting on the proposals for parking lots.
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Q. You have been representing Madgavkars since the last five terms and is gearing up to contest the coming election. Do you think the Congress party will deny you the ticket with AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh repeatedly saying that chargesheeted persons will not get the ticket.
A. I will be in politics as long as I enjoy the support of the people of Margao, who have stood by me in both good and bad times. The AICC general secretary will be in a better position to answer whether the congress will deny me the ticket or not.
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Rupesh Mahatme, BJP leader
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Q. How do you rate the performance of the Margao MLA during the current term?
A. The Margao MLA should explain to Madgavkars what he has done for the city during the last four years and half. He has done nothing for the city. And, the people of Margao have already shown the MLA his place in the municipal poll. The MLA is ruling the municipal body today with the support of Goa Forward party. People are not happy with the MLA on the development front.
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Q. But, the MLA is accusing the BJP-led government has stalling many a development project proposed in the city.
A. Digambar Kamat should first tell the people of Margao why he could not solve the city’s burning issues when he was the state’s chief minister for five long years. He has been representing the city for over two decades and the issues plaguing the city should have been addressed by the MLA by now. Kamat owes an explanation to the people of Margao on the burning issues, including traffic, parking and the bus stand.
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Q. Will Rupesh Mahatme stake claim for the BJP ticket for the 2017 Assembly election?
A. Yes, I would certainly stake claim for the party ticket to take on Kamat in the 2017 Assembly election. When I had contested against Kamat in the 2012 election, he was the Chief Minister of Goa then. I think the party leadership should give me a second chance by giving me the party ticket.
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Probable candidates
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Bhai Naik, BJP
Son of former Margao MLA and minister, Babu Naik, Bhai has officially stake his claim for the BJP ticket to contest the 2017 Assembly election from Margao. In the past too, Bhai had been in the race for the BJP ticket, but this is the first time he has conveyed to party leaders on his plans to contest the coming election. “I have requested the party leadership about my willingness to contest the coming election. I have already started my work in the constituency and shoulder whatever responsibility given by the party leadership, Bhai said.
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Sharmad Raiturcar, BJP
He was BJP’s candidate for the 2005 by-poll and the 2007 Assembly poll against party’s archrival Digambar Kamat. Sharmad is not averse to throwing his hat in the electoral ring in the coming election. He, however, says that it all depends on the decision of the party leadership. Closely associated with the party work in the city, Sharmad says he will not shy away in shouldering responsibility entrusted by the party.
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Aam Aadmi Party
The Aam Admi Party has made his presence felt in the city only recently, but party state convenor Rajshree Nagarcekar says AAP candidate will be certainly in the fray in the coming election. she said the party is presently on the job of identifying and shortlisting candidates for the Margao constituency. AAP considers Margao a prestigious constituency and the party will go all out to win the seat, Rajshree asserted.
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Past MLAs and Runners-up
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Year winner party votes runners-up party votes
1994 Digambar Kamat BJP 5009 Raju Nayak Cong 2697
1999 Digambar Kamat BJP 7549 M K Sheikh Cong 4272
2002 Digambar Kamat BJP 8525 Girish Chodankar Cong 3781
2007 Digambar Kamat Cong 9198 Sharmad Raiturcar BJP 7170
2012 Digambar Kamat Cong 12041 Rupesh Mahatme BJP 7550
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Winners and Losers in 2012
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Constituency Total Electors: 28103
Candidate age party Votes Polled voting
Digambar Kamat 57 CONG 12,041 54.36
Rupesh Mahatme 39 BJP 7,589 34.26
Savio Coutinho 42 TMC 1,873 8.46
Cedric D’Costa 61 IND 250 1.79
Ivo Coutinho 39 IND 396 1.13
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Constituency outline
Margao constituency consists of the 11 wards of the Margao Municipal Council spread across Aquem, Malbhat, Comba, the city area and areas on the southern side of the railway line, including Pedda, Khareband, Sirvodem, Calcondem and Colmorod.
