MARGAO
The BJP kicked off its campaign for the three seats in minority-dominated Salcete, as party candidates filed nominations for the seats of Davorlim, Guirdolim and Navelim on Monday.
Accompanied by party MLAs Ulhas Tuenkar and Sankalp Amonkar, party candidates Satyavijay Naik (Davorlim), Gokuldas Gaonkar (Guirdolim) and Laxmi Shetkar (Navelim) filed their papers. The party has fielded candidates in three of the nine ZP seats up for grabs in Salcete and is expected to back independents in the remaining seats.
The BJP is expected to go all out to retain the Davorlim and Guirdolim seats, which the party had won in the 2020 election. As far as the Navelim seat is concerned, the party is expected to bank on its traditional voters to keep candidate Laxmi Shetkar in good stead.
That the party meant business was evident from the fact that party leaders, MLAs Ulhas Tuemkar and Sankalp Amonkar, besides former MLA Clafacio Dias and Cuncolim Municipal Councillor Videsh Desai, brother-in-law of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, along with party rank and file, accompanied the party candidates to the office of the Returning Officer at the South Goa Collectorate.
Navelim MLA Tuenkar, in whose jurisdiction the Davorlim and Navelim seats fall, exuded confidence of winning both the seats. “Work done by the BJP right from PM Narendra Modi to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and my work in Navelim constituency will help the party retain the Davorlim seat and Navelim,” he said.
Asked what prompted the party to deny a ticket to sitting Davorlim ZP member Paresh Naik, he said the party had decided to give a chance to party workers to contest the election. “Party workers are our strength. The same workers had made history in Navelim after the lotus bloomed in the constituency. History will be repeated,” he added.
Ex-Balli sarpanch Guirdolim candidate
After former Balli sarpanch Gokuldas Gaonkar filed his nomination papers for the Guirdolim ST-reserved seat on the BJP banner, former Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias said the party refused the ticket to sitting ZP member Sanjana Velip after she failed to remain active in the constituency following her election.
Clafacio claimed that Sanjana and her husband Sanjay joined the Congress after the party made it clear that she would not be nominated for the Guirdolim seat. He said though Sanjana and Sanjay have joined the Congress, party workers have not moved from the BJP to the opposition party.
Gokuldas Gaonkar said he is not new to politics, having served as the sarpanch of Balli village panchayat. “I am confident that the people of Guirdolim will vote for me to ensure that the South Goa ZP is also ruled by the BJP,” he said.
---
Venzy says it’s ‘BJP vs AAP’ as party files five nominations
MARGAO: The broom that had created history in the 2020 Zilla Panchayat polls by opening its electoral account in Goa’s political landscape was back at the South Goa District Collectorate as party candidates lined up to file nomination papers for the December 20 Zilla Panchayat polls.
Aam Admi Party flags fluttered at the South District Collectorate as party leaders accompanied candidates to the office of the Returning Officer to file papers for the ZP seats of Benaulim, Colva, Navelim, Raia and Guirdolim.
While the Aam Admi Party is expected to go all out to retain the Benaulim ZP seat, which the party won in 2020 and retained in the 2024 by-poll, the party seemed to be bracing itself to make big inroads into Salcete countryside and emerge as a challenger to the Congress in its traditional bastion.
After party candidates filed their papers for the Benaulim, Colva, Raia, Navelim and Guirdolim seats, AAP Benaulim MLA told the media that the ensuing battle has turned into a contest between the BJP and AAP in Goa.
“Only AAP has been seen on the ground in the last 20 days. I have no hesitation in saying that the ensuing battle is between BJP and AAP in Goa,” Venzy said.
He added: “The way BJP is misusing government machinery to stop us and being biased towards AAP candidates filing nominations, it is clear it is scared of us.
"So far, our volunteers have done two rounds of door-to-door campaigning and candidates have covered 80 per cent of houses. I am personally visiting Navelim, Nuvem and my own constituency Benaulim. The response is really good,” Venzy added.
While sitting member Joseph Pimenta is seeking re-election from Benaulim, other AAP candidates who have filed their papers on Monday include Antonio Fernandes (Colva), Jeromina Colaco (Raia), Beatris D’Souza (Navelim), and Joseph Pixote (Guirdolim). Among the candidates who filed their papers on the AAP ticket is young footballer and coach Jeromina Colaco for the Raia seat.
The AAP candidates have expressed confidence in getting the mandate from the electorate in the hustings. Benaulim sitting member Joseph Pimenta told the media that the work carried out by him in Benaulim and the performance of Benaulim MLA Venzy will keep him in good stead.
AAP candidates are expected to take the health clinics and other projects initiated by the party to the doorsteps of the people in the run-up to the December 20 polls.
