MARGAO
As the stage is finally set for a grueling fortnight-long campaign for the South Goa seat, BJP’s organisation strength and heavyweights’ power seemed propelling Pallavi Dempo campaign in the party’s bid to wrest the seat, while the Congress is banking on the “silent majority” of voters to help retain the seat in the May 7 Lok Sabha poll.
BJP’s organisational strength powered by women and power play has been on display since day one when Pallavi descended on the battlefield a fortnight ago. Bereft of heavyweights in its ranks with the party hit by a host of defections over the last five years, the Congress, on the other hand, is banking on the party’s core voter base in Salcete and outside to give the party yet another electoral victory and to keep the BJP juggernaut at bay. A report.
BJP is riding on organisational strength and women power
Industrialist, but politically novice Pallavi Dempo, seems to have covered lot of ground since the BJP central leadership cleared her candidature for the South Goa seat – thanks to the party’s well-knit organisation powered by women at the grassroots. BJP’s power-play led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and a host of party heavyweights in its ranks has only added strength to Pallavi’s campaign in the constituency as the party is bracing up to launch a final assault before the constituency goes for polling on May 7.
In fact, the ruling party has relied heavily on the party’s cadre, especially the women network across the 20-Assemby segments to prepare the ground work over the last fortnight. As part of the strategy, the party kicked off Pallavi’s campaign via the temple run to connect the candidate to the grassroot cadre and workers, centered around the mahilas. Pallavi’s door-to-door campaign, again powered by women and the party’s well-oiled organisation seemed to have prepared the groundwork from where the party now intends to take the ongoing campaign to a higher level with the help of a host of star campaigners led by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to address a public meeting in the constituency.
A senior BJP leader pointed out that the party is banking heavily on its organisational strength and core voters to catapult Pallavi’s campaign to a higher level. “People may say anything on Pallavi Dempo’s candidature. She may be a political novice. She may be accused of not addressing public issues. The fact remains that Pallavi is contesting on the Lotus symbol. BJP voters have time and again voted for the symbol and they will do so in the May 7 election irrespective of the candidate’s background,” remarked the BJP leader.
He added: “Even assuming Pallavi’s candidature may not have gone down well with some of the party workers and well wishers, we expect a definite change of hearts and mind when the Prime Minister descends on the battlefield and give a call to the people of Goa to vote for Pallavi on the plea that a vote for Pallavi is a vote for him and Modi’s Guarantee”.
With half the Cabinet of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant hailing from South Goa and the party enjoying the backing of the Maharashtrawadi Gomant Party this time round besides Independent MLA Reginaldo Lourenco and the Congress turncoats, the BJP seemed bracing up for a big push in a bid to wrest the South Goa seat, which the party had lost to the Congress by a whisker in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Bereft of bigwigs in party, Cong eyes ‘silent majority’ of voters
Come elections and the Congress suddenly realises that the party’s Achilles heel is its organisation sans a dedicated cadre to match the firepower of the rival BJP. The May 7 Lok Sabha election may not be anything different for the main opposition party, struggling to put the organisation back on the tracks after two major defections over the last five years since 2019.
The Congress leadership, however, is banking on the “silent majority” of voters, which had time and again come to the rescue of the party over the years, to rally behind party South Goa candidate Capt Viriato Fernandes in the coming election.
Plunging into the campaign a bit late compared to the BJP rival in the fray, on account of the party’s delay in unveiling the candidates, Capt Viriato has succeeded in covering much ground, making a big presence across the constituency in the last 15 days. Support extended by the INDIA bloc partners, including the Aam Aadmi Party and Goa Forward may help to channelise the anti-BJP vote to Capt Viriato.
The Congress, however, is pinning its hopes on the silent majority of voters in Salcete and across South Goa to come out and cast their vote for Capt Viriato on May 7. “After sensing the mood of the electorate, we are confident that the silent majority of voters will go to the polling booths on May 7 to vote for the Congress,” remarked a senior leader, when his attention was drawn to the absence of organisation in some of the segments.
Party leaders in private also say the Circular issued by the Church exhorting the laity to vote for secular parties will go in favour of the Congress. The party hopes to capitalise on debates on contentious issues such as changes to the Constitution in favour of Capt Viriato Fernandes.
In fact, if the Congress leadership has displayed confidence that the Revolutionary Goans Party will not eat into the party vote this time round a la the 2022 Assembly election, it’s simply because the party believes that the silent majority of voters will not allow a split in the anti-BJP vote.
The Congress leader added: “Just a few days ago, an impression was given that the BJP will have a free run in Nuvem in the coming election. But, developments over the last few days now indicate that like-minded citizens are coming together to back the India bloc candidate. This has happened because some people worked behind the schemes to ensure the silent majority of voters from Nuvem rallies behind the Congress candidate. This may soon spread in other parts of the South Goa constituency.”
