MARGAO
The last time a woman had made to the Goa Legislative Assembly from women-dominated minority Salcete was around three decades and half ago in 1989 when Farrel Furtado was elected to the House of the people from Velim.
The 33 per cent Women’s Reservation Bill now holds the promise to give more representation to women in the Legislative Assembly, around three seats for women, from the eight assembly seats are at stake from the minority taluka in the future.
Take note, however, even as hopes are being raised that the Bill will help realise the dreams of the common women to make it to the Assembly, the new comers will have to certainly contend with the spouses and siblings of the political heavyweights and politicos, either enjoying power at the grassroots or well connected with the masses in their own way.
In fact, if the Women’s Reservation Bill threatens to cut short the political innings of many a seasoned political campaigner or politicians in general, their kith and kin may fit the bill in the scheme of things.
Take note there may be no dearth of relatives of the politicos ready to throw their hat in the Assembly election ring if their dear ones are ruled out from the fray by the women reservations.
Take the case of Margao, represented by Congress-turned-BJP MLA Digambar Kamat. It’s an open secret that Kamat has been planning to hand over the baton to son Yogiraj as evident by the fact that the latter has been accompanying him at every programme and function in the constituency. What would happen to Kamat’s plan in the event Margao is reserved for women in the coming election? Well, sources said the seven-time Margao MLA should not worry much since wife Asha may fit the bill in the scheme of things. For, Asha had been Kamat’s tower of strength over the years, campaigning for her husband in every election and well-connected with the voters, especially the women electorate.
The situation may be no different in neighbouring Fatorda constituency represented by Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai. In the event of Fatorda reserved for women, Vijai may have the option at hand, to field wife Usha. Like Asha in Margao, Usha has been Vijai’s pillar of strength, given her close association with the women self-help groups across Fatorda.
Elsewhere in Salcete, one may find the kith and kin of established political players having their spouses and siblings politically active at the grassroots. A case in point is women-dominated Nuvem constituency, where there may be no dearth of women candidates in the event the constituency is reserved for women. Plans by former Nuvem MLAs Mickky Pacheco and Wilfred D’Sa to pay yet another innings from Nuvem might have come a cropper in the 2022 Assembly election. In the event of the constituency being reserved for women in the future, the duo will be ruled out from the fray. The duo, however, may not have to worry much. The reason is simple. Wilfred’s wife Freda is presently heading the Nuvem village panchayat. On the other hand, Mickky’s spouse Viola is the deputy sarpanch of the neighbouring panchayat of Betalbatim.
That’s not all. Former South Goa Zilla Panchayat Chairperson Nelly Rodrigues, who had unsuccessfully contested from Cortalim in the past, hails from Majorda village, which is a part of Nuvem constituency.
Former PWD Minister Churchill Alemao, who had announced that daughter Valanka will contest from Navelim in the future election, may be tempted to field her from home constituency Benaulim in the event the constituency is reserved for women.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, sources said may have an option too if Cuncolim constituency is reserved for women. Wife Melissa, who has been campaigning independently for the Opposition leader, and attending programmes in his absence, may fit the bill if the occasion rises, sources said.
Congress ticket aspirants for the Velim and Curtorim Assembly segments Savio D’Silva and Moreno Rebello respectively may also have an option in the event the two women-dominated constituencies are reserved for women. For, Moreno’s wife is currently the Zilla Panchayat member representing Curtorim ZP constituency, while Savio’s wife Joslyn is a member of the Velim village panchayat.
In the 2022 Assembly election, a couple of women candidates were in the fray in Salcete, including Pratima Coutinho, who contested the polls on the Aam Aadmi Party banner and Valanka Alemao on the TMC symbol, both in Navelim constituency.
Says political commentator, Adv Cleofato Coutinho: “It may be true that the established political players may get their kith and kin in the fray after the Women’s Reservation Bill become a reality. That is bound to happen for a short time. In the long run, however, I do not see the political heavyweights may influence the voters. For, the Women’s Reservation Bill will pave the way for so many young women leaders in every constituency to make it to the Legislative Assembly in the long run.”
