UDAY SAWANT
VALPOI
With the upcoming Goa Assembly elections beginning to draw attention, the political atmosphere in both Valpoi and Poriem constituencies of Sattari taluka is gradually heating up.
Following the 2022 Assembly elections, political activity by opposition parties remained relatively limited compared to that of the ruling BJP over the past four-and-a-half years. However, with the election atmosphere beginning to take shape, the Congress and other opposition parties are once again becoming politically active.
In both Valpoi and Poriem constituencies, Congress has recently stepped up its activities to some extent, while discussions have begun around a possible opposition alliance, candidate selection and local issues.
Valpoi
In Valpoi constituency, the entry of social worker Milind Prabhu into the Congress has once again drawn attention to the local political equations. Over the past four-and-a-half years, Milind Prabhu had remained relatively away from active politics.
However, after joining the Congress, he appears to have become politically active again and has been consistently raising various local issues. His name has begun to figure in discussions surrounding the possible Congress candidate and the party's strategy for the upcoming election in Valpoi.
Over the past few years, Manisha Prabhu and Ranjit Rane have attempted to maintain the Congress's political presence at the local level. Meanwhile, following disciplinary action, Manisha Usgaonkar was expelled from the Congress, and there is curiosity about what her future political role will be.
If an alliance or seat-sharing arrangement emerges between the Congress and Goa Forward in the coming period, political circles are also watching whether Usgaonkar could enter the electoral fray as an independent candidate.
The 2022 assembly election in Valpoi constituency had delivered another important political message. The Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) candidate secured more than 6,000 votes in the constituency. Despite the party's limited organisational strength, the vote count generated considerable discussion about the RGP's influence in Valpoi.
However, during the four-and-a-half years that followed, the RGP's activity at the local level appeared relatively limited. Although the party fielded candidates in some areas during the Zilla Panchayat elections, it did not appear to have generated the expected political impact.
In the 2022 assembly elections, Manoj Parab contested the Valpoi seat on an RGP ticket. If the RGP decides to stake its claim to the constituency again in the upcoming election, there is curiosity over who the party will nominate as its candidate.
Political pundits are currently watching a possible equation among the Congress, Goa Forward and RGP in Valpoi. If the opposition parties reach an understanding on seat-sharing or field a common candidate, the existing political equation could undergo a change.
If the seat is allotted to the Congress, the name of Milind Prabhu could come under consideration. If Goa Forward gets the constituency, Manisha Usgaonkar is being discussed as a possible choice.
On the other hand, if the RGP independently stakes a claim to the constituency, the election equation will also depend on whom the party chooses as its candidate.
Poriem
The political situation in Poriem constituency presents a somewhat different picture from Valpoi.
With MLA Deviya Rane leading the constituency, the BJP's organisational presence at the grassroots level is considered strong in the local political landscape. Consequently, the BJP's organisational strength will remain a key factor in the upcoming election.
At the same time, Congress has also increased its political activity in the Poriem constituency. There is discussion that social worker Vishwasrao Rane has brought a new energy to the Congress's activities at the local level.
If Vishwasrao Rane receives the Congress nomination and secures broader support from opposition parties, it could have an impact on the electoral equation in Poriem. However, the final position regarding the candidate and any alliance will become clear only after the respective parties announce their official decisions.
In Poriem constituency, local development, government jobs, employment opportunities and expectations of young people are likely to remain significant issues in the upcoming election.
The issue is also likely to extend beyond the performance of the local MLA and become linked to the government's employment policies. How voters assess local development and employment-related concerns could therefore become an important factor in the political discourse during the election period.
In the 2022 Assembly elections, Deviya Rane secured a victory in Poriem constituency with a substantial margin. Therefore, while the BJP is expected to seek to maintain its previous electoral performance, the opposition will face the challenge of preventing a division of votes and presenting a united political alternative.
Three common factors
Three factors are likely to be particularly important in both Valpoi and Poriem constituencies in the coming period — a possible opposition alliance, the selection of candidates and the issue of educated unemployment.
At present, the BJP's organisational strength remains significant in both constituencies, while political activity by the Congress and other opposition parties is increasing.
If an alliance takes shape, the forthcoming political scenario will largely depend on which party gets the seat under a seat-sharing arrangement, which candidate enters the fray and how voters respond to local issues.
As a result, Valpoi and Poriem in Sattari are likely to remain at the centre of political attention in the run-up to the upcoming Assembly elections.
