Tito Cardozo has shifted to ward 8, as his former ward 9 is reserved for OBC women. The Borda strongman is the only sitting councillor who isn’t embroiled in any controversy in the past. Tito is also the only sitting councillor in Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai’s 12-member panel. Tito’s father and former MLA Luis Alexio Cardozo recently criticised the BJP for trying to field candidates to split the ST votes.
Borda is a general category ward and Tito will now have to face Milly Andrade, Camilo Barretto, Ramdas Hazare and Durgadas Prabhu of the BJP on 25th.
“I have done enough work for my people; I believe they will stay with me,” said Tito Cardozo. While Ramdas is a former councillor, Camilio has been very active among the ST population in particular and also in taking up various causes in Margao. However, Camilio has contested twice before unsuccessfully and is hoping that his third attempt will be the one that counts.
Ramdas is hoping to get his way back to the council on the strengths of his identity as a councillor and has been preparing himself for this moment for a considerable period of time.
Comba is yet another ward where there will be a clash of titans. The ward has been in the news for the rebellions and cross campaigns by some of the workers of same banners. Sushila Naik who was the first chairperson of the present council is set to face dissent of the voters as she does not reside in the ward anymore. Sushila Naik had left her Comba ward soon after she became the chairperson and now faces anti-incumbency factor.
Meanwhile, the BJP is caught in a storm in the Comba area as the campaign of their rebel Suchita Malkarnekar is going strong against its candidate Ranjita Pai. The BJP downplayed it as ‘leadership development.’ Other than these Siddhi Naik is also contesting from this ward. Sushila enjoys the support of Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and if wins, she is expected to be a front runner for the post of chairperson.
Malbhat is one ward where several candidates, owing allegiance to various groups, are battling it out for the honours. BJP’s Margao Development Front candidate Rupesh Mahatme recently released his manifesto for Malbhat. Meanwhile, outgoing MMC Vice Chairperson Dadi Mayenkar has taken it to the doors of the voters to get the much needed edge.
Interestingly, Rupesh was the BJP candidate against MLA Digambar Kamat at the 2012 Assembly elections in Margao, while Mayenkar has been Kamat’s loyal foot-soldier and a prominent face of the Bahujan Samaj and Margao market trader community.
Another key contestant who can be the spoke in the wheel is Elvis Fernandes. He is confident of pulling in sizeable number of votes enough to win. While Elvis’ continuance as a member of the Margao Block BJP is perceived as a setback for Rupesh, sources opine that his being in the race could in fact eat into the voter base of Rupesh’s opponent Mayenkar. However, all three are confident of winning the seat.
