MARGAO: The last day of filing candidatures has exposed several rebellions among the major political groups, especially in Wards 12, 13, 19, 20 and 22. Additionally, several NGOs and prominent businessmen have also filed their candidatures in several wards. Meanwhile, sources have informed that the Catholic community and religious leaders of Aquem has expressed anger over the BJP blacking out minorities representation in their area and have fully backed one of the minority candidates in Ward 19.
Rebellion within the BJP is out in open now. Suchita Malkanekar, who was a suggestion of Sharmad Pai Raiturkar for Ward 12, has gone solo and filed her candidature on Thursday. She will be pitted against BJP’s Ranjita Pai. Elvis Fernandes, who was a BJP worker in Malbhat ward, has filed his nomination against fellow party man Rupesh Mahatme. Sachin Satardekar, a close aid of Sharmad, has filed his nomination against Surendra Haldankar.
Congress workers have also filed nominations along with their own party men. Shahina Dias, who was earlier backing former Councillor Damodar Shirodkar from the Congress MLA Digambar Kamat camp, will now contest as an independent from Ward 21.
Sources have confirmed that she and her supporters had worked for Damodar Shirodkar, and upon his term ending, the Catholics and women from that ward had requested the councillor to support a Catholic lady who has a lot of support in the ward.
Sources stated that the councillor, who has now shifted to Ward 22, washed his hands off by saying that the MLA chooses the candidates, which was ultimately Asha Naik.
Prasad Onskar, who was with Kamat for the past four elections, has now filed his nomination against Digambar’s candidate.
Fatorda is also witnessing a different form of rebellion, with Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai fielding new candidates and dropping the councillors he backed during the last elections. Not only does Sardesai have to face the angst of the councillors that were once on his side, but the latest reservation rows seems to have also worked against him.
“The BJP’s mistake of keeping the minorities in Aquem and Margao at bay will backfire big time,” said a BJP source.
When we spoke to Rupesh Mahatme, he stated, “The rebellions are bound to happen in such important elections. But we wont jump to any conclusions now as the there is a withdrawal date ahead too.”
The Curtorim wards have also witnessed rebellions. Ward 25 in the Housing Board and adjoining areas has a sizable Muslim population, and incidentally, two Muslims from the area have filed their candidature. Kalandar Khan and Kutubuddin Bhagewadi are well known figures in the Housing Board and can cause huge problems for Babita Naik, who is the sitting councillor of the ward.
Sadanand Naik may also face the brunt of the rebellion; one of his family members Nagraj Naik, who has contested from Ward 24, is set to divide the Naik family votes across the Housing Board area.
The withdrawals of nominations will also play a major role in the result of the elections, but for now the candidates look like they have entered to win.
