TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Round one of counting will be crucial for both BJP’s Narendra Sawaikar and Congress’ Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco on May 16 as the election authorities will take up for counting Assembly segments considered either BJP strongholds or has the presence of its alliance partner, the Goa Vikas Party.
Lining up for counting in round one are Assembly segments — Sanguem, Mormugao, Vasco, Quepem, Shiroda and Canacona – where the BJP has exuded confidence of putting up a good performance over its Congress rival. Similarly, Assembly segments from Salcete that will be taken up for counting in round one include Nuvem, Benaulim, Fatorda and Curtorim. Again, results in these four segments will be again crucial for the BJP because the party leadership is banking on the GVP to make inroads for the party, especially in Catholic dominated segments of Nuvem and Benaulim, presented by GVP supremo Mickky Pacheco and Caitu Silva in the Goa Legislative Assembly.
Sources said a good showing by the BJP in round one will keep the party in good stead as the party is expected to do better in round two when votes of Madkai, Sanvordem, Ponda and Margao are taken up for counting. Observers say that performance below the expected level in round one will leave the BJP to rely on its strongholds of Madkai, Sanvordem and Ponda to sail through.
On the other hand, the Congress will hope to take huge leads in Nuvem, Curtorim and Benaulim and outwit the BJP in Canacona, Shiroda and Vasco in round one to stay in contention. The Congress leadership and its poll managers know for sure that the game will be virtually over for Reginaldo if the BJP makes inroads in the Catholic dominated segments in Salcete. The party is also aware that the party cannot expect to do well in Madkai, Sanvordem and Ponda where the BJP had a virtual free run in the husting.
Counting of votes will be taken up in both the Kare College of law and Damodar College of Economics. While the votes from the eight Assembly segments of Nuvem, Velim, Curtorim, Cuncolim, Fatorda, Margao, Benaulim and Navelim will be taken up in Damodar College of Economics, the remaining 12 segments from Ponda, Mormugao, Quepem, Canacona and Sanguem will be taken up in Kare College of Law.
