Team Herald
MARGAO: Defeated in the 2012 Assembly elections, 10 heavyweight candidates tried their luch and re-contested the 2017 election to test their political luck. All these heavyweights have only one thing heavily on their mind and that is to protect and continue their political career and for that it very important that they get elected this time round.
The first in this category is Churchill Alemao. Alemao was defeated by Avertano Furtado from Navelim constituency in 2012 when he was at the peak of his career as the PWD minister.
Churchill did not relent and contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 on a Trinamool Congress party ticket. He was defeated again. As a part of his political preparation the senior Alemao also attempted to join back Congress but faced huge opposition from within the party. He also became friends with his old rival Luizinho Faleiro but all in vain. Churchill finally got the NCP ticket and decided to contest from his old haven Benaulim Constituency.
Similar is the condition of the Curchorem Congress MLA Shyam Satardekar. He has this time contested on the Goa Suraksha Manch ticket and has BJP’s Nilesh Cabral as his principle opponent.
Vasudev Meng Gaonkar, the former MLA of Sanguem is also in fray for making a comeback after being sent to pavilion by BJP in 2012. Vasu has taken MGP to his stride this election.
The Shiroda Former MLA Subhash Shirodkar has also made an honest attempt to make a come back to the Assembly. Damu Naik the former MLA of Fatorda is also in the fray of staging a comeback. The fight between Vijai Sardessai and Damu Naik for Fatorda seat has got more intense than in 2012. They have taken each other, head-on.
Former minister Philpe Neri Rodrigues from Velim, Former Chief Minister of Goa Luizinho Faleiro, former minister Joaquim Alemao from Cuncolim, Ravi Naik from Ponda, Vijay Pai Khot from Canacona have taken on the sitting and the non-sitting former MLAs of their constituencies.
With so many candidates in the fray in each of these constituencies, the race to the top positon has been more difficult than ever. The fates of all these heavyweights are locked in the EVMs and on Saturday it will be clear whether the heavyweights have reached the zenith or or have got crushed under their own weight!
