canacona: Congress candidate Isidore Fernandes, being in Constituency 40, was the last MLA to be declared a winner. But before his name was announced, he told Herald, “We are going for a win.” He did win with a margin of 10853 as his supporters waited outside the counting hall to celebrate.
Sources said that the shift in tribal votes helped the winners, specially in Canacona. BJP reject Ramesh Tawadkar who was contesting as an Independent and polled 7739 votes finishing third, perhaps was the main reason Isidore emerged winner. BJP’s Vijay Khot was second with 8745 votes.
After he was declared a winner it took Isidore and his supporters almost two hours to reach Chauri, the commercial centre of Canacona. On his way, Isidore halted at various junctions where thousands waited with garlands and the noise of firecrackers welcomed him. The victory party had a musical band playing to the specially written songs for the victory lap of Isidore Fernandes. On the way he offered prayers at Bhumipurush temple at Gulem, St. Thereza of Jesus church, and then at the Mallikarjun temple, Shristhal. Later the rally proceeded to Polem and reached Fernandes’s house at Pedem, Loliem past midnight. Early Sunday morning when Herald spoke to him he was on the way to Panjim to attend the meeting of all elected MLAs, to be presided over by central observers Dr. Chella Kumar and Mr Venu Gopal.
Herald spoke to a cross section of Isidore’s supporters, who looked happy and excited. Dattaprasad Prabhu Gaonkar a strong opponent of IIT in Loliem, Canacona, said ‘people of Canacona has recognised the work done by Isidore for last ten years’.
“In spite of losing the previous elections, he remained in contact with the people of Canacona, and started preparation for the elections one year back asking people for suggestions,” said Prabu Gaonkar. Also Denis Fernandes when contacted over phone said that
“The win was predicted. I was confident that the whole of Loliem would support him. The unity will still get stronger as days go by and the villagers will not leave any stone unturned to protect our village,” said another villager Denis Fernandes.
Canacona Block president Elvis Fernandes who was instrumental in starting the campaign over a year back said, “If you look at the trend of voting, Isidore has taken a lead in 20 polling booths in Canacona, he got substantial leads in Agonda, Gaondogrem, Cotigao and Loliem.
The Gaondogrem and Cotigao panchayats, which have almost 100 % ST population have as usual voted in favour of Isidore, said Fernandes.
