There is this impression that the Dabolim elections will be about its current MLA Mauvin Godinho who began his term as a saffron man in Congress clothing, till he has morphed into one of the most loyal soldiers of the BJP while he is called a Congress MLA. He has defied, mocked and humiliated the Congress, while functioning as a BJP MLA. But in the run-up to the elections, the BJP has not made a single statement from any of its leadership that Godinho will be its Dabolim candidate.
Godinho hasn’t found total acceptance in the larger right wing alliance either. The MGP has clearly mentioned that they would not like to compromise on the Dabolim seat with BJP in the pre poll alliance dharma.
The remaining seats in the taluka are held by BJP; Milind Naik (Mormugao), Carlos Almeida (Vasco) and Alina Saldanha (Cortalim). But the bone of contention will, in all probability, be the Dabolim seat, say sources.
On Tuesday, MGP’s defacto supremo Sudin Dhavalikar already announced that former MMC Vice Chairperson Premanand alias Babu Nanoskar, who lost 2012 assembly elections with a narrow margin, would be MGP’s candidate from Dabolim. However BJP state leaders have indirectly hinted out that since Godinho has reposed faith in the party, they would not like to disappoint him, but there isno formal endorsement yet.
Hence, BJP workers in Dabolim are finding themselves in a confused state as uncertainty over their candidate is affects them. Though the BJP workers feel that Godinho, who has developed personal relations with local BJP leaders would surely be the face of BJP from Dabolim, the way MGP leaders have been making statements, both these parties are left clueless as to what kind of situation would prevail after BJP-MGP again goes for alliance. For instance if MGP-BJP resolves the seat sharing issue with some compromise formula and allows BJP to field Godinho on a BJP ticket, then there are high possibilities that BJP vote bank may split. All this because, during the last assembly elections, BJP and MGP supporters jointly made efforts to ensure his defeat.
Similarly, if MGP retains the Dabolim seat in the pre-poll alliance and Nanoskar gets another opportunity to contest on MGP seat, then the confusion would be more, as any instructions by the senior BJP leaders to support Nanoskar would be a difficult task for BJP workers, as in last two years the BJP workers have been sharing dais with Godinho.
But in case if Godinho does not get the BJP ticket, then he may opt to contest as independent. Similarly Nanoskar would also contest as independent if alliance arrangements force him out.
Current political equations have also fuelled aspirations of many new faces, including former aide of Godinho, Francisco Nunes, who has served as former sarpanch of Chicalim Village and is today the Congress Dabolim block committee president. Though the Congress party is yet to officially announce Nunes as its candidate for Dabolim, indirectly the state Congress leaders have asked Nunes to go ahead with election campaign.
Similarly former MMC chairperson and present councilor Kritesh Gaonkar has also thrown his hat in the ring and he has been aspiring to contest the elections even as independent candidate, if not with any party.
From Aam Admi Party (AAP) side, Fr Michael Fernandes, who is AAP coordinator for Dabolim, had started door to door election campaigning for AAP. However, his candidature is not yet certain. Vasant S Naik, who was the vice- president of BJP Mandal of Dabolim constituency is also an AAP ticket aspirant. The former sarpanch of Bogmalo Panchayat, Ex-Zilla Parishad member from Sancoale and present panch of Chicolna-Bogmalo Panchayat tendered his resignation from his post and joined the AAP.
Local activist Tara Kerkar too has joined the race and has started campaigning as independent candidate.
from this assembly seat.
