TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Will history repeat itself in Salcete in the ensuing Zilla Panchayat election with the BJP exuding confidence in wining both the Davorlim and Guirdolim seats with a division in its traditional vote base staring at the Opposition Congress?
Indeed, if BJP leaders led by South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar have exuded confidence in winning both the Davorlim and Guirdolim seats the party is contesting in minority dominated Salcete, it is basically of a perceived division in the minority community votes.
Take the case of the Guirdolim seat. BJP candidate Sanjana Velip is mostly concentrating in the BJP voter base, spanning around the Balli-Ambaulim belt and in pockets of Paroda village. The BJP leadership in private admits that the party candidate stands a good chance of winning the Guirdolim seat in the minority-dominated constituency. For, the spectre of split in the Congress vote base is being feared within the Congress camp and outside with arch political rivals fielding candidates of their choice in the constituency. Former Cuncolim MLA Joaquim Alemao is working overtime in the constituency in support of Associana Gomes. So is district Congress vice-president, Adv John Monteiro, who has thrown his weight behind Associana.
On the other hand, former ZP chief Clafacio Dias has fielded Minaxi Gaonkar in Guirdolim and has gone all out to drum up support for his candidature. Clafacio has also sought the support of Congress Quepem MLA Babu Kavlekar and district Congress president Subhash Faldesai for Minaxi’s candidature.
Many say that a split in the votes between Minaxi and Associana in the villages of Chandor, Guirdolim, Paroda and Ambaulim may give the BJP an edge, assuming the party retains its hold in the Balli-Ambaulim belt. Incidentally, the BJP had won the Cuncolim Assembly seat for the first time in 2012 due to a split in the traditional Congress vote after John Monteiro made deep inroads in the villages of Chandor, Paroda, Macazana and Guirdolim resulting in the defeat of Joaquim Alemao.
In the Davorlim constituency, the BJP camp is upbeat with candidate Ulhas Tuenkar holding sway in the constituency despite the rebellion by local block President Satyavijai Naik and his group. Around 10 candidates are in the fray for the Davorlim seat and it is feared that the BJP may gain in the event of the split in the minority vote, which can tilt the balance in favour of the contesting candidates.
Candidates in the fray in Davorlim include Abdul Kadir Shaikh, Don Fernandes, Herculano Niasso, Leon Raikar, Martinho Rocha, Mustak Shaikh, Satyavijai Naik, Tauseef Shaikh, Ulhas Tuenkar and Valabh Varak.
