TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: In an interesting development, Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva has decided to back an Independent candidate for the Benaulim seat, leaving Goa Vika Party supremo Mickky Pacheco embarrassed.
On the other hand, Mickky made a candid admission that the GVP has been finding difficult to evolve a consensus candidate for Benaulim. Even as Caitu told the media that he would not support a GVP candidate in Benaulim, the GVP supremo said the party would field a candidate on the party banner on Saturday, the last date for filing of nomination papers.
In fact, the Benaulim MLA along with the sarpanchas accompanied his candidate Honey D’Costa to the office of the Returning Officer for filing nomination paper as an Independent. “Since I am opposed to ZP polls on party lines, I am backing Honey as an Independent. The government was not right in holding the ZP polls on party lines. They have also increased the expenditure ceiling limit to Rs five lakh,” Caitu said, while dismissing a suggestion whether he has decided to distance himself from the GVP in view of the flak the party has faced over Ghar Wapsi and attacks on Churches.
When the development was brought to the notice of the GVP supremo, Mickky Pacheco, he confessed that he is grappling with 2-3 groups in Benaulim with a consensus eluding his party. “They are all my supporters, but the fact remains they all want to contest the election. I will try to evolve a compromise with the warring groups in a bid to field a consensus candidate on Friday. A clear picture would emerge by Saturday,” Mickky said.
The GVP supremo, however, warned that the party has the capacity to field a candidate on its banner and get him elected.
Asked whether candidates are shying away from contesting the election on the party banner in the wake of the GVP coming under scanner on Ghar Wapsi and attack on Churches given its association with the BJP, Mickky shot back ‘these issues will have no impact on the people of Benaulim or Goa. Vested interests trying to fish in troubled waters will meet their fate on the day of the results”.
