Cortalim constituency was never with the BJP, until legendry socialist leader Matanhy Saldanha joined the saffron party and won this assembly seat for BJP in the 2012 assembly elections. BJP’s debut victory in Cortalim was possible only due to the magic of late Matanhy Saldanha’s 15-page manifesto for Cortalim assembly constituency titled ‘Service to the People’. The manifesto read: “Will fight to safeguard the rights of the downtrodden and the marginalised and see that justice prevails at all levels of the society.”
After his untimely death, his wife Alina Saldanha was given an opportunity to fill the vacant post and carry forward the legacy of her husband. She won the Cortalim seat reportedly on a sympathy vote.
In last the four and half years as cabinet minister in the BJP government, Alina managed to take up several works and most importantly tarring of all important roads, also reaching out to people with government schemes. Besides that she also voiced her concerns to safeguard environment, by cracking the whip on proposed projects that were detrimental to environment, including Marina in Sancoale, Mini India Park in Quelossim and real estate projects on forest lands. However, with regards to major infrastructural development, except for Dando-Mollo Bridge and few other projects benefitting farmers and fishermen community, she could not fulfill aspirations of the people as most of her projects remained incomplete due to want of funds or due to some other technical issues.
The village of Cortalim is dominated by ST population and people here are still waiting for the day when the ongoing markets project at Thana Cortalim would be completed. Similarly villagers of Cansaulim- Arrossim- Cuelim (CAC) are unsure whether the up gradation of Primary Health Centre at Cansaulim would be reality or would continue to be a poll promise. Similarly the work of Kala bhawan is Sancoale, pending up gradation of Birla outpost to police station, pending beautification of Bandolem Lake at Sancoale, and rehabilitation of Zuarinagar slum residents with proper amenities are few projects that have again taken hot seat in the forthcoming assembly polls.
Herald’s ground report revealed that few candidates in fray are prepared for the polls as they had already made grounds for themselves by rendering services to the people.
Independent candidate Anthony Vas, who is popularly known as people’s candidate and enjoys strong backing of SC/ST votes from Cortalim and also voters from Cansaulim and Sancoale village, has reportedly become a threat for all other candidates contesting the Cortalim seat.
The interesting battle would be between Matanhy’s wife Alina and Matanhy’s nephew Olencio Simoes. Alina is confident that all her attempts to take up issues of the people from Cortalim constituency and the government schemes provided to thousand of constituents would lead her to victory. On the other hand, emerging young fishermen leader Olencio Simoes, who was groomed by late Matanhy, and has been fighting for the cause of fishermen community feels that people need change and he would be the option.
Similarly the Congress candidate Gilbert Mariano Rodrigues, who is a local from Birla-Zuarinagar, had started preparations for assembly polls since the time he became ZP member from Sancoale. Providing toilets to slum dwellers, and taking up issues of these poor residents from Zuarinagar slums, can be a game changer in the forthcoming polls, said sources.
After losing elections in 2012, GVP candidate Nelly Rodrigues did not waste time and started the work to strengthen her grounds in Cortalim. Until last week, she was NCP candidate. However, due to some confusion over the alliance between NCP and Congress she quit NCP and joined GVP.
United Goans party candidate Ramakant Borkar, who is also Sarpanch of Sancoale village, has a strong hold in local Comunidade body. Borkar began working since last few years to maintain good rapport with the voters, especially in Zuarinagar slums with the belief of making his début in assembly.
