MARGAO
Political heavyweights and aspirants alike face an uncertain future ahead of the 2027 Assembly election as questions are raised whether Nuvem will be reserved for Scheduled Tribes.
In fact, many say if the constituency is eventually notified as an ST-reserved seat, several established political heavyweights and aspiring newcomers who have been preparing for the electoral battle will find themselves out of contention overnight.
The prospect of reservation is already triggering discussions within political circles, with major parties and independent political players expected to begin identifying and grooming potential candidates from ST communities for the upcoming elections.
Any decision to reserve Nuvem would effectively bar sitting MLA and former Minister Aleixo Sequeira, former MLAs Mickky Pacheco and Wilfred D’Sa, as well as emerging political aspirants such as former Goa Vikas Party president Lyndon Monteiro, Congress leader Everson Vales, Pausilipo Dourado and others from contesting the seat.
Interestingly, Nuvem MLA Aleixo Sequeira, who switched from the Congress to the BJP, has publicly stated that he would wholeheartedly welcome any decision to reserve the constituency for ST communities. “I will cross the bridge when it comes,” Sequeira remarked when asked about his plans should Nuvem be reserved.
The proposed reservation could also derail the political comeback plans of former MLA Mickky Pacheco, who had indicated that either he or his wife, Viola, would contest from Nuvem in 2027.
Similarly, former MLA Wilfred D’Sa has been actively preparing to re-enter the electoral arena and was expected to be among the prominent contenders in the constituency.
Among the newer faces seeking to challenge the established political order is Lyndon Monteiro, former president of the Goa Vikas Party. Monteiro has made no secret of his intention to make his electoral debut from Nuvem in 2027 and has been steadily expanding his presence across the constituency through grassroots outreach and public engagement.
With uncertainty surrounding the final list of constituencies that may be reserved for ST communities, political calculations in Nuvem remain in a state of flux. Should the constituency be included in the reservation exercise, it would not only redraw the electoral equation but also open the door for a new generation of ST leaders to emerge on the political stage.
