PANAJI
With eight candidates in the fray, four of whom belong to the dominant Scheduled Tribe community, Sanguem’s fate appears to be resting on narrow socio-religious schisms yet again coupled with heavy anti-incumbency against the sitting MLA.
A group of senior BJP karyakartas informed that similar anti-incumbency was present in the run-up to the 2012 polls as well. But the change in candidate had ensured retention of the seat, where the BJP has been incumbent since 1999. While many karyakartas have refused to work for the present candidate, there has been a steady flow of prominent BJP workers such as Santosh Gaonkar and Sanjay Shirodkar towards the Congress.
Interestingly, the return of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, albeit with the former BJP MLA and former Mines minister Vasu Meng Gaonkar as its face, has forced several voters from Sanguem to reconsider their political loyalties and will test the party’s traditional votebank after a gap of almost 20 years.
Offering an insight into this ally-turned-rival equation, a BJP karyakarta said, “BJP’s senior workers have been nurtured in the sangh by Subhash Velingkar. They created the base for BJP in Sanguem. But now they are facing a dilemma and most are bound to stand with Velingkar.”
However, the electorate at large has varying viewpoints.
An elderly motorcycle pilot based at Sanguem bus top, for instance, offered a highly pragmatic opinion when he questioned why he should vote for Vasu Gaonkar. “Vasu Gaonkar had ten years as BJP MLA. What development did he bring about in Sanguem? Just because he has changed sides and has joined the MGP, I am not inclined to vote for him," he declared.
He slyly added that everything eventually boils down to the caste and community of the candidate instead of issues such as development and even mining.
The ST community constitutes 12,000-odd of the 26,000 votes in Sanguem. Heavy fragmentation presently exists within the ST votes between Congress candidate Savitri Kavalekar, independents Dattaprasad ‘Baab’ Savardekar and Prasad Gaonkar, MGP’s Vasu Gaonkar, BJP’s Phaldessai and Aam Aadmi Party’s Ravindra Velip.
A shopkeeper from Sanguem predicts a contest between Congress, BJP and independent candidate Baab Savardekar.
“Despite being from the Goud Saraswat Brahmin community, Baab Savardekar has helped many Dhangars and STs. He was promised the BJP ticket and he worked for over two years for the BJP. But they let him down. The number of votes he gets will bring Phaldessai lower.”
Near the village of Uguem, the air was different. The ST community members in this locale said that Phaldessai has ensured employment to many, especially after the ban on mining. “But Babu Kavalekar belongs to our community and he has also promised us employment,” one local stated.
A resident of Amdai recalled that Phaldessai was one of the BJP leaders who proposed a red-category industry in their village when all of them had requested the land to be considered for the ESDM project. “Instead, the government took the ESDM project to Tuem, where locals are opposing it,” recounted the man, who was among the prominent opponents to the red-category project in Amdai.
The minority religious communities too are divided in Sanguem. While a large chunk of the Christian minority is presently leaning towards the AAP, Muslim electorate is inclining towards the Congress. “Development for us is not big projects. We want employment and honour. It’s all about honour in Sanguem,” a resident of the Muslim waddo stated.
PANAJI: A woman selling flowers at the Sanguem market appeared to be torn between voting against the incumbent MLA and ensuring continuation of doles under the Dayanand Social Security Scheme and Griha Aadhar, BJP’s flagship schemes. “If the BJP is defeated in the State, all the doles will discontinue. I don’t have much choice,” she sighed while refusing to accept the argument that the two need not be linked.
“We will probably support the MGP because BJP and MGP will form the government again anyway,” she added, brushing aside everything said by the leaders of the two parties so far.
