Team Herald
MARGAO: Although the votes of female voters will play a decisive factor in election of 56 candidates contesting the Assembly polls from Salcete taluka today, ironically there are only four women candidates in the fray representing them.
As per the electoral roll published by the Election Commission, in Salcete taluka there are 1,23,353 female voters as compared to 1,12,573 male voters. However, only four women candidates are in the race; two each in Navelim and Fatorda constituencies. Valanka Alemao (TMC) and Adv Pratima Coutinho (AAP) are contesting from Navelim. Seoula Vas (TMC) and Valerie Fernandes (RG), both advocates by profession, are the female candidates from Fatorda.
Seven sitting MLAs Wilred D'sa (Nuvem), Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco (Curtorim), Vijai Sardesai (Fatorda), Digambar Kamat (Margao), Churchill Alemao (Benaulim), Clafacio Dias (Cuncolim), and Filip Neri Rodgriues (Velim) are again trying their luck to be part of the next Assembly. Only Luizinho Faleiro has opted out from the race of the election.
Those who will be contesting the elections from Cuncolim constituency includes Clafacio Dias (BJP), Yuri Alemao (Congress), Dr. Jorson Fernandes (TMC), Prashant Naik (AAP), Wilson Cardozo (RG), Derick Dias, Milagres Gonsalves, Raymond Cruz, Santosh Phaldesai, and Sudesh Bhese, all independent.
Navelim has the second highest number of candidates, a total of nine, including three independent candidates. Amongst the prominent candidates Avertano Furtado (Congress), Ulhas Tuenkar (BJP), Valanka Alemao (TMC), Adv. Pratima Coutinho (AAP), Rehan Muzawar (NCP), and Bento Da Silva (RG).
Benaulim constituency will see a tough fight amongst the five candidates of major political parties which include Antonio alias Tony Dias (Congress), Churchill Alemao (TMC), Venzy Viegas (AAP), Damodar Bandodkar (BJP), and Desmond Fernandes (RG).
In Fatorda total of six are in the fray which included Vijai Sardesai (GFP), Damu Naik (BJP), Adv. Seoula Vas (TMC), Sandesh Teleikar (AAP), Adv. Valerie Fernandes (RG), and Michael Ferns (Independent).
In Margao constituency heavyweights like Digambar Kamat (Congress), Manohar alias Babu Azgaonkar (BJP) will be clashing along with others like Mahesh Amonkar (TMC), Lincon Vaz (AAP), Shashiraj Shirodkar (RG).
In Curtorim eight candidates - Moreno Rebello (Congress), Anthony Barbosa (BJP), Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco (Independent), Rubert Pereira (RG), Anthony Pexioto (TMC), Domnic Gaunkar (AAP), besides two other independent candidate Isidore Rodrigues and Conceicao Dias are in the race.
In Nuvem constituency the contest will be between a total seven candidates including Wilfred D'sa (Independent). Others include Aleixo Sequiera (Congress), Datta Borkar (BJP), Jose Cabral (TMC), Mickky Pacheco (NCP), Arvind D'Costa (RG), and Dr. Mariano Godinho (AAP).
Velim constituency will see the fight between total of six candidates which include Benjamin Silva (TMC), Savio D'Silva (Congress), Filipe Neri Rodgriues (NCP), Savio Rodrigues (BJP), Cruz Silva (AAP), and Dagley Fernandes (RG).