TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The Modi factor may propel and give the much-needed push to the Congress campaign in South Goa, with the secularism versus communalism battle taking the centrestage in Salcete’s political landscape.
Now, the NaMo factor may give some sleepless nights and heartburns for heavyweights ~ Churchill Alemao and Francisco Sardinha as well ~ as they brace up to execute their threats to upset the Congress applecart by contesting the April 12 poll. In fact, the Modi factor seems to have dented the enthusiasm of workers owing allegiance to the two heavyweights, with doubts and confusion dogging the workers not only about their success, but the BJP candidate’s victory in the coming poll on account of a split in the secular vote.
Take the case of the former PWD Minister. Soon after resigning from the Congress on Saturday, Churchill had a meeting with his workers from Navelim Assembly segment to plan out the strategy ahead of the poll. Some of the workers, however, appeared a confused lot on Churchill’s decision to contest the polls as an Independent candidate. Though certain to back him to the hilt, some of the workers, however, asked a question or two about BJP’s victory following a division of minority votes. “The Congress has successfully projected Churchill as a spoiler, who is out to benefit the BJP. Unless this impression is erased and Churchill projects himself a winning candidate, our campaign will be dented by the Modi factor”, remarked a worker.
Churchill, however, begged
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to differ. “There may be some workers who are raising these doubts since they had not worked for me in the Assembly poll. They had taken my money, but did not work for me. May be, these are the workers who are raising doubts about BJP’s victory due to a split in the secular vote because of my presence in the fray. I can tell you that majority of my workers are gearing up for the campaign”.
Source now say the Churchill camp is now mulling a public meeting at the Lohia Maidan not only to enthuse his supporters, but to send across a message that the former PWD Minister is not a spoiler, but a winning candidate.
At Curtorim, the situation was no different when Sardinha interacted with his workers at his residence on Sunday. While many supported Sardinha’s call to teach the Congress a lesson, there were others who sounded sceptical about Churchill’s victory, saying that division of votes may give the BJP and Modi a victory in the election.
A couple of his close aides were huddled with Sardinha after the meeting to convey him their doubts on winning as an Independent candidate, when the battle is narrowing down between the BJP and the Congress.
Commenting on the development, Sardinha said such a phenomenon is unusual at the beginning of an election campaign. “There may be workers who has cast doubt and fears about a split in the vote.
We have told our workers that we are secular and do not want the communal forces to come up. Things will change once the nomination process ends and the campaign starts”, Sardinha added.
