Team Herald
PANJIM: It was a smooth sailing for ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tiswadi, as party managed to get hold over four constituencies — St Lawrence, Taleigao, Corlim and Chimbel — out of five.
The party lost in St Cruz, despite having its sitting MLA Tony Fernandes. The defeat, against Congress’s Shiny De Oliveira, is considered as people’s fury against Fernandes – Indian National Congress rebel — for shifting his loyalty to BJP in 2019.
While the MLA remained unavailable for the comments, Congress leader Rudolf Fernandes said that the victory has given major boost to party workers in St Cruz ahead of 2022 polls.
“People were feeling betrayed after the person they voted for shifted his loyalty to BJP. Today’s victory is people anger against the BJP,” he said.
As per the State Election Commission (SEC) over 49,500 voters exercised their vote in Tiswadi Taluka.
BJP’s Anjali Naik won in Taleigao against Independent candidate Cecil Rodrigues.
Taleigao has been bastion of Atanasio ‘Babsuh’ Monserrate’s for decades, irrespective of which party, the husband and wife, contests. While Babush is ruling Panjim, his wife Jennifer is enjoying her second stint as MLA from Taleigao. Both, who contested on Indian National Congress ticket, joined Dr Pramod Sawant-led government last year.
“I owe this victory to the people of Taleigao, who reposed their trust on me and the BJP. The people believed in BJP government and they voted for development,” Jennifer, Minister for Revenue, said.
Corlim, with six candidates, saw Siddesh, son of Union Minister for AYUSH Shripad Naik emerging victorious. He defeated arch rival Congress’s Vishal Volvoikar.
The seat falls in Old Goa Constituency, ruled by BJP’s Pandurang Madkaikar.
Former Congressmen and sitting BJP MLA Francis Silveira also passed the people’s test with victory of its candidate Dhaku Madkaikar. The recent assurance to scrap Marina Project, proposed at Nauxim, that the MLA managed to get from the Chief Minister, played as trump-card for BJP.
The party defeated Congress’ Anthony Fernandes and two independent candidates. BJP swiped Chimbel Constituency with victory of Guirish Uscoicar.
