PANJIM: Former St Andre sarpanch Jagdish Bhobe is trying his luck for the second time in his home St Andre constituency.
Bhobe is a popular face in the constituency being the sarpanch in the past and this is the chord he is trying to strike with the voters.
In 2017 Assembly elections, Bhobe had contested on M G Party’s ticket. He has now been fielded by the Trinamool Congress Party (TMC), which has stitched pre-poll alliance with the oldest regional M G Party.
Bhobe was seen actively campaigning door-to-door spreading awareness about the TMC’s vision document and three important schemes to empower youth and women and shape their future.
“I have covered all the parts of my constituency. I am getting good response from voters. I want to undertake development works in the constituency as there are many issues concerning the voters. If elected I will be always available for my people,” he said.
According to Bhobe, the main issue in the constituency is unemployment. “Despite the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Bambolim located in the constituency, our youth do not get jobs there and the Minister who is allocated the Health portfolio give these jobs to youth from his constituency. I want to stop this discrimination. I also want to set up skill development and career guidance centres in the constituency,” he saidf.
Bhobe said that the tradition fishermen living along the river bank of Agacaim, Goa Velha, Siridao and Nauxi-Bambolim are facing major problem due to extension of jurisdiction by the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT). The proposed Marina project at Nauxi-Bambolim is another issue which the fishermen are vehemently opposing.
Bhobe said that the proposed Marina project has not been scrapped and has been kept on hold. There are apprehensions in the minds of fishermen that the government will allow Marina at Bambolim much to their detriment. He said that if elected, he will not allow Marina project in the constituency as it will destroy the livelihood of fishermen.
Besides this, Bhobe promises to enhance the subsidy of fuel subsidy for fishermen and construct a community cold storage for them to store their unsold or excess fish and sell it the next day.
Bhobe said that a large number of women have actively campaigned for him as they are upset with the rising prices of essential commodities and LPG cooking gas.
