TEAM HERALD
PONDA: Acclaimed for its temples and cultural activities, Ponda taluka has now earned an unusual distinction of being home to a large number of candidates contesting the Lok Sabha polls in the State.
The main political parties in the State have decided to field over 12 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls and six of them have close ties to Ponda taluka. Of these six candidates, two are former MLAs/MPs, two are advocates and two are social activists.
Though North Goa BJP candidate and sitting MP Shripad Naik is presently residing at Old Goa, he is a native of Adpoi-Durbhat in Ponda taluka, while the South Goa BJP candidate Adv Narendra Savoikar is a native of Tamsuli in Khandola-Ponda, but is presently residing at Khadpabandh near Ponda city.
Both candidates of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) also trace their roots to Ponda taluka. While AAP’s South Goa candidate Swati Kerkar is from Keri-Ponda, the AAP North Goa candidate Dr Dattaram Dessai also resides at Savoi Verem, Ponda.
The North Goa Congress candidate and former chief minister Ravi Naik is from Ponda and resides at Khadpabandh, while CPI’s South Goa candidate Raju Mangeshkar, a lawyer and trade union leader, is from Mangueshi-Ponda.
Ponda taluka has four constituencies but three of them (Ponda, Shiroda and Marcaim) have been included in South Goa while Priol has been included in North Goa for the Lok Sabha polls.
“Though there are many candidates from Ponda taluka, four of them have contested on many occasions, including Ravi Naik, Shripad Naik, Narendra Savoikar and Raju Mangeshkar,” remarked Milind Madgut, retired professor and political observer from Ponda.
“The other two AAP candidates, Swati Kerkar and Dr Dattaram Dessai, are fresh faces in politics, but they are known for their activities and social work.”
