MARGAO: Interesting fights in the big political war front of Benaulim were revealed on the last day of the nomination filing. Several candidates filed their nominations even till the deadline reached near.
The ex-Churchill supporter and candidate against GVP in 2012 elections John Fernandes has joined hands with Mickky Pacheco by joining Goa Su-Raj Party. John filed his candidature for Benaulim on the last day.
John is not the lone fighter, even Maria Rebello, a former Churchill supporter is in the ring in Benaulim. Maria filed her nomination on Wednesday afternoon.
Benaulim now has seven candidates in the fray. Maria Rebello of GVP, Edwin Barretto of Congress, Royla Fernandes of AAP, Churchill Alemao of NCP, Caitu Silva as Independent, John Fernandes for GSRP and Judith Almeida as Independent.
John Fernandes said, “There has been no Colvenkar as a Benaulim MLA till date. As far as support is concerned, I have support of Seraulim and Pedda panchayats. Of all the Benaulim candidates, only I have the support from these panchayats.”
John has been a supporter of Churchill since 2007 elections. He lost against Mickky with a slender deficit of 300 votes as a candidate of Save Goa Party. Later, John contested as independent and had drawn sizable votes against Valanka Alemao, Caitu and others.
Maria Rebello is a former supporter of Churchill Alemao and was a Zilla Parishad member from Benaulim
After filing her nomination, Maria said, “Congress is a party which uses and throws. I had supported the Congress but it only used us, mostly women. I have been betrayed by Luizinho Faleiro.”
When asked who she considers as her main opponent, Maria said “Can’t say, may be Caitu or Churchill.”
Meanwhile, AAP candidate from Benaulim Royla Fernandes is banking on her background of being in the village level politics for several years.
The fight in Benaulim is set to be a seven-cornered contest where there will be a tug of war between veterans like Churchill and new comers like Royla and Judith Almeida. It will be interesting to see whether the veterans and experienced in the electoral politics pass the test or the novices.
