Two weeks to Christmas, Digambar Kamat sort of declared his campaign open in Margao when he was felicitated by his well-wishers and the Congress Spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi and Maharashtra MLA Amit Vilasrao Deshmukh though nobody significant from the Goa Congress party was there at the meeting
But the former CM with a crowd of Madganvkar’s and his many supporters from Moti Dongor and Azad Nagri made a grand audience for the sitting 5th time MLA who has won six elections from Margao including that of a bypoll when he switched sides and once was the election in 2007 that made him a 5-year full term Chief Minister of Goa after 12 years of fragmented governments.
But Digambar has been down and out in the last five years with corruption allegations, JICA scam and the government trying to arrest him after doing the same with Churchill Alemao, people pointing fingers at him for no development in Margao and making him responsible for the slums and increasing migrants and garbage in the city and no resolve to sort the Sonsoddo issue but despite all that there seems to be no one trying to chance on the opportunity to beat Digambar Kamat.
While the BJP of many hopefuls from Bhai Naik to Sharmad Raiturkar to Rupesh Mahatme to Navin Pai Raiker are yet to know who is the BJP’s candidate. But Sharmad has already backed off saying his work is to mobilise the BJP’s state youth wing while Rupesh says he would prefer to be the councillor that he is and not consider the Margao ticket at this juncture. Rupesh himself was once Digambar’s supporter and election agent.
“To beat Digambar means we need time to work on the anti Digambar vote. Campaigning should have started full force. I have witnessed it when my father didn’t get the Congress ticket and on a cycle symbol he beat Digambar Kamat decades back but he really worked hard and the BJP party should be robust to have a formidable candidate quickly,” stated Bhai Naik, son of former MLA late Babu Naik.
It’s sometimes a little fishy how political parties go so soft on Digambar. Looks like an internal setting and the man maybe powerful across parties. After all he has his shared ties with the BJP and Congress in the past.
Digambar is back in the news for opposing the SGPDA’s ODP for Margao and stating that the voter alone based on his accessibility will decide who to vote for and won’t get swayed by any other candidate.
While the Goa Forward Party which has close links with Digambar Kamat and supported him on multiple times, the Goa Forward is also yet to declare a Margao candidate and refused to comment on the same. Also Digambar’s long standing Opposition and former Mayor Savio Coutinho who challenged him in the polls last year and got drubbed is maintaining his silence on working against Digambar.
