PANJIM: Rarely have Congress workers been seen as active and upbeat in Panjim as on Wednesday. Across the constituency, party workers were actively manning booths and directing voters, under the supervision of senior leaders.
For 23 years, Panjim constituency has been represented by BJP, since 1994 when Manohar Parrikar first got elected, and then consolidated his position with every election.
The lack of strong and dynamic candidates in this constituency had seen Congress win Panjim just twice since Liberation, in 1984 and 1989, when Joao Baptista Gonsalves won the seat for the party. Subsequently Congress chose Keshav Prabhu as their candidate in 1994 and 1999 and let BJP take control of the constituency.
But this time, the party took everyone by surprise – just like during the campaign for the February 2017 elections – when Congress workers, right from MLAs, Youth Congress and Mahila Congress members seen out in the field. A round in the constituency on Wednesday, across 30 booths, gives clear indication of the same.
“We have given our full support to our candidate Girish Chodankar. The party has united to ensure that Chodankar wins. We have been successful in shaking BJP here, for the first time. This has boosted our confidence. Whatever may be the results, we are confident that from this election, Congress will make its presence felt in Panjim,” Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, who visited several booths, said.
Over hundreds of Congress workers were actively working on the field, giving a tough challenge to the BJP workers. “We have taken this as a challenge. Congress was never considered in Panjim but during our canvassing, we realised we are still an alternative (that) people here are looking for. We are confident of our victory,” Block President Sameer Pai Raikar said.
The party will now lay more emphasis on strengthening the block.
