MARGAO: With the Congress backing out of the Zilla Panchayat electoral contest and the UGDP lying in the dumps, Mickky Pacheco-led Goa Vikas Party may be the only recognised political party left in Salcete to contest the ensuing poll on the party banner.
And, if the GVP supremo Mickky Pacheco is to be believed, the GVP plans to contest most of the seats in Salcete besides the two seats of Cortalim and Sancoale in neighbouring Mormugao.
It is still unclear whether GVP will field candidates in the Zilla Panchayat seats falling in the Assembly constituencies represented by the two Independent MLAs supporting the BJP government – Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado and Benjamin D’Silva. Again, while the BJP would be certainly keen to contest the Davorlim seat given its sizeable presence there, both the GVP and the BJP, besides the two Independents have not yet arrived at an understanding on seat-sharing.
“I am in touch with the BJP leaders as well as the two Independents, Avertano Furtado and Benjamin D’Silva. I can assure you that the GVP candidates for most of the seats in Salcete and the two seats in Mormugao should be finalised by then,” Mickky told Herald on Monday.
Sources in the know said that the GVP leadership, including the two MLAs Mickky Pacheco and Caitu Silva, were expected to have a late night meeting on Monday evening to discuss the ensuing ZP polls and finalise the candidates.
Asked how the GVP will be able to field its candidate in Cortalim and Sancoale given that these seats fall in Cortalim Assembly constituency represented by Environment Minister Alina Saldanha, Mickky shot back saying, “GVP and the BJP had fought the 2012 Assembly elections though there the GVP had tacit understanding with the BJP vis-a-vis the Assembly election. I do not see any harm if my party fields its own candidates in Cortalim and Sancoale.”
Mickky said the party had geared itself to face the candidates supported by the Congress in the ensuing ZP polls in the nine seats in Salcete taluka. “The Congress should have fought the elections by going to the people if the party felt that the BJP-led government is not functioning. I don’t think after the Panjim election, the Congress is in a position to field candidates,” Mickky added.
Meanwhile, UGDP vice-president Adv Radharao Gracias said that since the party is opposed to the ZP election on party lines, it will not field any candidates. “Of course, at an individual level, we will support independent candidates, but will not field any candidates,” Radharao asserted.
