Team AAP on field in support of Royston
Aam Admi party may not be officially in the fray for the ensuing Margao civic polls. Party leaders, including Cecil, Roque Mascarenhas, Gerson Gomes and Cong-turned-AAP leader Pratima Coutinho had all descended on the battlefield on Sunday. These leaders were spotted in Ward No 7 to drum up support for candidate Royston Gomes, who is locked in a battle against former MMC Chairperson Arthur D’Silva and the candidates fielded by Vijai Sardesai and Damu Naik. Gearing up for 2022?
Vijai leaves Pajifond voters guessing
In the 2015 Municipal election, Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai had addressed a meeting at Pajifond in support of his candidate Angelis Pereira. The meeting venue, sources say, had proved lucky for Vijai after Angelis finally ended Raju Naik’s two-term innings in Pajifond. Five years down the line, the situation has turned full circle. Vijai on Monday visited the very same venue, but this time round seeking votes for Raju Naik, leaving Pajifond voters to wonder what’s happening around.
CM-led saffron brigade on Digambar's turf
The saffron brigade seemed using all weapons in its armoury to ensure the Lotus bloom in Margao. As many as three Cabinet Ministers, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Nilesh Cabral and Deepak Pauskar have already made their presence felt in the city to drum up support for the party-backed Vibrant Margao candidates. That’s not all. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant gave a boost to the party campaign by hopping from one ward to another, including the migrant-inhabited basties, considered the stronghold of Opposition leader Digambar Kamat.
STanding ovation at Vijai's manifesto prog
At a time when BJP leader Damu Naik is going out of the way to woo the ST community to support Vibrant Margao, rival Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai came with a counter in his inimitable fashion. At the launch of the Fatorda Forward’s election manifesto, Vijai saw to it that all outgoing ST councilors, including ST leader Mama Cardozo’s son Tito were seated beside him, while the contesting candidates were made to stand at the manifesto launch. The message was indeed loud and clear.
24x7 accessibility: Ajgaonkar does a Digambar
Dy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar was at his usual best when he descended at the Cine Lata basti with CM Pramod Sawant in tow in support of Ajgaonkar's niece Dr Ronita Ajgaonkar. While expressing his gratitude to the people of the basti for electing him and brother Rajendra to the civic body in the past, the Dy CM made a humble plea to elect Ronita to the municipality on April 23. He sought to reassure the inhabitants that he and brother Rajendra will respond to their calls even at the dead of night. Interesting, isn’t it, when local MLA Digambar Kamat claims of his 24x7 accessibility.
