the goan I network
MARGAO
Coastal Benaulim was relatively quiet on Tuesday on polling day, with hardly any queues of voters at any of the polling stations spread across Cavelossim to Carmona, Orlim, Varca, Benaulim, Colva and Seraulim.
Unlike previous elections when Benaulim was the cynosure of all eyes, with traditional rivals pitted against each other, the ground reality on Tuesday was somewhat different. Blame it on the absence of Congress organization worth its name along the coastal belt to lack of funds and workers at the disposal of the Congress candidate or simply local NCP MLA Churchill Alemao’s decision not to bat for any of the candidates, Benaulim Assembly segment was indeed quiet on Tuesday.
That polling in Benaulim segment just managed to scrape the 60 per cent figure only gives credence to the widespread reports that none of the players, especially the Congress made any serious effort to bring out the voters to the polling stations.
In fact, poll observers say that in a segment where the BJP hardly enjoys any presence and the Aam Aadmi Party emerging as a force to reckon with, the Congress was found wanting in mobilizing the voters, which would have given the main opposition party a sizeable vote share which would matter in the ultimate scheme of things.
A visit to the Benaulim segment on Tuesday showed the usual hustle and bustle was clearly missing across the constituency. One could hardly come across supporters of candidates huddled around tables near the polling stations to facilitate voters get their EPIC numbers and voters slips.
There was no movement of voters either, with people coming in trickles on their own, without any assistance or help from the contesting candidates and their parties.
Only at the Varca polling one could see a queue of voters, anxiously waiting for their turn to cast their franchise. Benaulim Block President Carlton Lourenco, who had quit office was holding the fort for the party at the Varca polling station after the party leadership refused to accept his resignation.
At one stage, it appeared that the slow pace of polling will go against Congress’ interest, but the voting gained momentum later in the evening before Benaulim registered 18655 polling.
Local NCP MLA Churchill Alemao, who cast his vote in the morning, immediately left the polling booth. While maintaining that he remained neutral during the election with the NCP not in the picture, Churchill refuted reports that he told many of his supporters to vote for the AAP. “There is no truth in these allegations spread by some Congress workers. Why would I work for AAP when I treat the party as my opponent in Benaulim.”
