THE POWER PLAY BEHIND BENAULIM ZP BY-POLL

MARGAO
The result of the by-poll for the Benaulim Zilla Panchayat seat will be of no consequence and bearing on the South Goa Zilla Panchayat body, where the ruling BJP is firmly entrenched in the power game with overwhelming numbers on its side in the 25-member district panchayat body.

The by-poll, however, holds immense significance for a host of political players, including the nascent INDIA bloc, the Aam Aadmi Party and its Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas, the Congress, village leaders, who are satraps in their own right and not to forget former Chief Minister Churchill Alemao, besides the Alemao siblings anxious to make their mark in the ensuing polls.

Barring Congress-turned-Independent Royla Fernandes, who had in the past contested the 2017 Assembly polls on the AAP banner, before unsuccessfully contesting the 2020 Benaulim ZP poll on the Congress ticket, the remaining three candidates Joseph Pimenta (AAP), Grrayfans Fernandes and Frank Fernandes, both Independents are relatively new entrants in the turbulent Benaulim politics.

A week to go for the by-poll on June 23, the Aam Aadmi Party is on the ground with party volunteers, drumming up support for party and Alliance-backed candidate Joseph Pimenta. On the other hand, hectic behind the scenes activity is seen in Benaulim in a bid to avoid a split in the non-AAP votes and to channelise the opposition vote to one common candidate.

With exactly a week to go for the by-poll, political observers foresee strong undercurrents in the Benaulim ZP constituency, spread across the village of Benaulim, Varca, Orlim, Carmona and Cavelossim even as the Arabian Sea, has started to roar due to rough weather conditions with the onset of the monsoons.

Benaulim ZP electorate

Benaulim – 9,793

Varca – 4,141

Orlim – 1,573

Carmona – 2,996

Cavelossim – 1,652