TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Political bigwigs from Salcete descended on the ground on the polling day on Wednesday to closely monitor the polling trends in their respective fiefdoms and boost up the morale of the foot workers in support of their respective candidates.
If Goa Vikas Party supremo and RDA Minister Mickky Pacheco hopped from his home village Betalbatim to Nuvem and Raia to keep tabs on the polling trends, Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva was on the field in his jeep as he traversed along the coastal belt, spanning from Benaulim to Cavelossim.
His arch rival and former PWD Minister Churchill Alemao did not lag behind. Churchill along with his son Savio moved around the coastal belt in Benaulim ZP constituency.
The GVP supremo told the media at Nuvem that party candidates will romp home with comfortable victories in Nuvem, Colva and Raia, while conceding that the party will not fare well in Curtorim. “I had not much time to concentrate in Curtorim. We may have a tough time there”, he said.
Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva reminded that winning and losing is part and parcel of elections, adding that he is supporting Honey D’Costa’s candidature as the latter had helped him in his Assembly election. “I did not accept Mickky’s challenge to get Honey elected and show my strength in Benaulim since I am not contesting the election. But I am confident that Honey will win the seat with the polling trends going in his favour”, Caitu said.
Though Churchill Alemao did not publicly support Maria’s candidature in Benaulim, he said that the two-time sitting ZP member will sweep the election.
Velim MLA Benjamin D’Silva was spotted moving on a Bullet motorcycle in the Velim ZP constituency, keeping a track of the polling patterns. He told the media near the polling station near the Velim Church that his political opponents spread rumours that the government has stopped the schemes giving doles to citizens. “They (opponents) spread false rumours that the government has stopped the schemes. The schemes are there in place and there was only delay in the payments”, he said.
