Team Herald

PANJIM: Just as the candidates of the two national parties are moving to each house in the constituency, the Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) candidate is also trying to reach every family in his campaign for the Panjim by-poll. 

GSM President Anand Shirodkar has the support of regional language aficionados and RSS leader Subhash Velingkar. He claims Velingkar is campaigning for him individually, while he, along with the party workers, is trying to reach every house in the constituency. 

Shirodkar spends his day in Panjim visiting voters at home and holding small corner meetings. In the morning the supporters with him are few, but increase to around 40 by evening, accompanying him in the campaign. 

He claims that 75 percent of the constituency has been covered and the remaining 25 percent would be completed by Sunday evening. 

“Not only party workers from Panjim but also from other parts of Goa are joining me in the campaign. Like-minded people and professionals are also campaigning for me to defeat Parrikar,” Shirodkar said. 

The acceptance of Shirodkar as a candidate is more noticeable in areas that have a strong RSS base like Mala, Bhatlem, Boca de Vaca, where he is getting a positive response. These, however, are areas where Parrikar has dominated. 

“There are many corners in Panjim constituency which are still remote despite Parrikar having ruled this constituency for past 22 years”, Shirodkar said. 

He claims the elite of Panjim are upset with Parrikar mainly because of his failure to handle the garbage and casino issues.

Apart from the party cadre, senior leaders like Uday Bhembre, Arvind Bhatikar, Mahesh Mhambre and others are also campaigning for Shirodkar, all of them had protested over the medium of instruction issue.