MARGAO: The Congress, BJP and the AAP have intensified their campaign in Margao in the last two days. The campaigns have become more crowded and more aggressive, as the polling day nears.
Digambar Kamat, who enters the ring for the seventh time in a row, launched his manifesto earlier this week.
The BJP candidate for Margao Sharmad Pai Raiturkar was seen on door-to-door visits in Margao town area alongwith at least 200 workers on Friday and opened his office at the hands of Defence Minister Manohar Parriker earlier this week. With AAP in fray this time round with their unique style of campaigning, the results are expected to be unexpected.
As the polling day nears, election campaign in Margao is becoming less and less an electoral battle, and more and more a clash of egos between BJP and Congress candidates. Adding the spice of uncertainty to the soup of election is the Aam Aadmi Party which has started an aggressive road show campaign in every corner of Margao.
Sharmad Raiturkar, the arch rival of Kamat on Margao turf, is on an extensive door-to-door campaign. Raiturkar was seen in the Pajifond area of the city on Friday assisted by at least 200 workers. Councillor Rupesh Mahatme, Elvis Fernandes and others were present. The BJP’s door-to-door campaign is moving around with a television fit rickshaw which plays an audio visual clip of the achievements of the BJP government.
Sharmad said, “The issue like the Costa ground is one of the main promises I am making to the people. I promise as well as assure the Aquemkaars of protecting the Costa Ground for the people of Margao.”
Nitin Naik, a former strong supporter of Kamat, and a big group of Monte hill residents were also seen with Sharmad earlier this week during his office inauguration.
On the other hand, Kamat got his manifesto launched by AICC General Secretary Digvijai Singh and a minister from Telangana state. At the launch Digvijai said, “I have not seen an MLA who picks the phone to help people even at midnight.”
Kamat’s manifesto has the pictures of the Collectorate building, ultra modern KTC bus stand, and district hospital which he had previously proposed but never took off.
This time, Kamat has sharpened his criticism of BJP for their failure to complete the District Hospital and inaugurate it on time. He mocked the new entrants saying that they are promising change without a programme of action.
Meanwhile, AAP candidate Santosh Raiturkar and his team have been staging road shows and door-to-door visits. The workers of AAP are seen standing on the footpaths with banners that read ‘No Corruption’.
