MARGAO
How would women-dominated Salcete taluka vote in the coming Lok Sabha election will be a question uppermost in the minds of the politicos and political parties in the run up to the May 7 Lok Sabha polls.
For, women clearly outnumber men in all the eight Assembly segments, with the women enjoying a decisive edge over men in the three minority-strongholds of Nuvem, Benaulim and Velim and can make and mar the prospects of the candidates and their political parties.
Take the case of Nuvem. In this overwhelming Catholic-dominated constituency, women outnumber men by over 2,000 votes, around 2,310 votes to be precise.
Velim is another minority-dominated constituency, where women lead over the men in the composition of electorate. In fact, women outnumber men voters by around 1,805 votes in Velim.
The third Catholic-dominated Assembly segment in Salcete is Benaulim, considered the heartland of the minorities, wherein again women outnumber men by 1,656 votes.
That’s not all. These three Assembly segments plays host to a large number of seafarers, most of whom are voters registered on the electoral rolls, but may be available on polling day if they are sailing.
Incidentally, these three Assembly segments formed the pillar of strength for the Congress party, with these segments giving massive unassailable leads for the Congress in many a Lok Sabha election, leaving the challengers stranded midway through the battle.
