Constituency Look is only an introduction to the build-up for the polls. These reports merely seek to inform readers of the ground level political movements and will not even remotely be an analysis of the mood or the strength of parties or individuals. Today we look at MARCAIM and feel the pulse there
Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar was first elected in 1999, and then re-elected in 2002, 2007 and 2012, ensuring that this constituency in Ponda taluka has become a Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) bastion, having also been the constituency that voted for Dayanand Bandodkar, the first Chief Minister. And as the State comes close to the 2017 polls, Marcaim is one constituency where the battle lines among major political parties is not yet clear.
That Dhavalikar will contest is a foregone conclusion, but who the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress candidates will be is still a question mark. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has declared Adv Surel Tilve as their nominee, while there will be Hanumanth Naik, a former MGP state secretary as Independent. Former Marcaim Panch Rajesh Naik, former Bandora Sarpanch and Congress Block President Shekhar Naik, Vinod Pokle, Urmila Naik are Congress members vying for the party ticket. Pradeep Shet, a BJP state office bearer and Central Committee member could be the likely party candidate.
In 2012, the Congress nominee had been Ritesh Naik, son of former Chief Minister Ravi Naik, while in 2007 Govind Gavde, a UTTA leader had contested against Dhavalikar on a Congress ticket.
Marcaim is known as an MGP stronghold. Former Chief Minister Ravi Naik too was elected from this constituency on MGP ticket however he became a Chief Minister only after he spilt the party. Except in 1994, when BJP candidate Shripad Naik, in alliance with MGP, had won from here defeating Ravi Naik who had contested on a Congress ticket, the constituency has always voted for MGP.
Marcaim has recently been in the news for the Navdurga temple idol replacement issue. Local residents and the Mahajans of the Navdurga Temple are in conflict on retaining the unique idol as well seeking rights over the temple and the matter is currently subjudice. Villagers are also demanding the abolishment of the Mahjan Act formulated by the Portuguese and demanding equal status to all villagers on par with the Mahajans.
Besides this there is need for improvement of the Primary Health Centre at Marcaim and need for a garbage treatment plant. Locals also want that comunidade land be used for development and housing projects.
Local resident Umesh Naik said, “The health facilities in Marcaim need to be improved. Many people have to be shifted to GMC even for minor illness. There are also narrow roads passing which need to be widened. Comunidade land should be allotted for housing projects at reasonable rates because villagers face shortage of land for house construction.”
On issue the constituency faces is that of agricultural activities that has been left abandoned in the villages. According to villagers agriculture needs to be revived to protect the land from the real estate lobby.
According to Krishna Naik though government jobs, schemes have been provided other problems need to be solved which include cultivation of barren lands abandoned in many of panchayats. He said, “There is urgent need of a Police Outpost to control crime. Recently there was the murder of a girl by a migrant youth by trespassing into her house. There is need of some fear among the migrants working in Marcaim Industrial Estate. Many labourers reside on comunidade land illegally and this needs to be controlled.”
