With Speaker Rameshbab Tawadkar and Cong-turned-BJP MLA Diggu declining to contest the South Goa Lok Sabha election, has the battle for the BJP ticket narrowed down between a cadre and a defector? This question is doing the rounds in the saffron brigade after the Digambar-Tawadkar duo preferred to stay out of the electoral battle. Of the two remaining serious contenders for the ticket, ex-MP Narendrabab Sawaikar forms part of the party cadre, while ex-deputy chief minister Babu Kavlekar is a new entrant to the BJP after having defected into the party from the Congress in 2019. Wait and watch.
Cong considers minority factor amid dilemma over S Goa seat
Aam Aadmi Party’s decision to field MLA Venzybab Viegas for the South Goa Lok Sabha seat has left the Congress camp in an introspection mode but for a different reason. With the AAP and the Revolutionary Goans declaring their candidates belonging to the Catholic community, questions are raised about whether the Congress can ill afford to ignore the minority factor in a constituency where the party has traditionally fielded a Catholic candidate and won many an election. Even assuming that South Goa is no longer a minority-dominated constituency, observers wonder whether Congress can afford to ignore the minority factor when the majority of the majority community vote is with the ruling BJP. Any takers?
Did Elvis apply? Intrigue around Cong leader's pitch for LS ticket
How many applications have been received by the Congress screening panel for the South Goa Lok Sabha ticket – eight or eight-plus one, is a question doing the rounds in the party circles. Officially, the Congress leadership says it has received eight applications for the ticket.
What about bureaucrat-turned-politician Elvisbab Gomes? Did he submit his application for the ticket to the party forum as per the laid down norm? Those handing the application forms privately state that they have not received Elvisibab’s form for the ticket. Or, is it that Elvisbab has submitted his application to the Goa desk in-charge, Manikrao Thakare after the local leadership did not invite him for the interaction with the screening panel? An interesting development.
Dynasty politics: Did BJP MLA offer to quit for son's future?
Did any of the ruling BJP MLAs (not from Saxttidom) express their willingness to retire from politics on the condition that their son is nominated in the by-poll? Well, speculations were rife this week that a BJP MLA has decided to call it a day in politics. Grapevine suggests that the MLA offered to quit provided the party accommodates his son in the constituency. Well-wishers of the MLA, however, are believed to have prevailed on the MLA to stay put for the moment on the plea that there’s no guarantee that the saffron brigade would nominate his son in the by-poll. Any questions?
Valentine's Day gift? Margao ODP notification awaits scrutiny
Is the government’s decision to notify the ODP for Margao on February 14 a Valentine’s Day Gift for Madgavkars? Well, it’s a sheer coincidence that the ODP 2031, which was hanging fire for the last two years, was finally notified by the government on Valentine’s Day, capping the exercise initiated during the stint of then SGPDA Chairman Wilfred D’Sa in 2021 and culminating during the tenure of incumbent PDA Chief, MLA Daji Salkar. Sources, however, say whether the ODP 2031 is a Valentine’s Day gift or not will be known only after the social activists, who have been demanding a host of changes, have a close look at the plan. We'll keep an eye out for this development.
