Panjim constituency, known as Manohar Parrikar’s bastion, has drawn everyone’s attention ahead of the State Assembly polls on February 4. It was a cake walk for the BJP for last 25 years but, this time it appears there will be a tough fight for the incumbent BJP MLA Siddharth Kunkolienkar, who got the constituency on platter post Parrikar’s elevation to the Central cabinet. But this election, Kunkolienkar has a biggest challenge to retain the seat with Parrikar’s prestige at stake.
The constituency, with over 22,000 voters, will witness a quadrangular contest between Kunkolienkar, Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate from United Goans and backed by Congress, Aam Aadmi party’s Valmiki Naik and Ketan Bhatikar of Goa Suraksha Manch – an ally of MGP and Shiv Sena. The constituency has three more candidates — one representing Nationalist Congress party (NCP) and two independents.
When former Chief Minister Parrikar got a call from Narendra Modi cabinet to head the Country’s Defence Ministry, his close aide Kunkolienkar contested the by-polls in 2015. Although he continued Parrikar’s legacy, many say it was “people’s sentiments towards Parrikar leaving the State politics” that got Kunkolienkar elected.
Two years down the line since Panjim got its new MLA, the voters are keen to know whether their beloved ‘bhai’ would be back and head the State once again. The question here is that whether Kunkolienkar, if re-elected, would resign to make way for his political mentor. The news of Parrikar’s comeback to State politics got momentum after senior leaders like Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari hinted in that direction.
After ruling Taleigao constituency for over a decade and St Cruz for last five years, Monserrate has now stepped in into Panjim — a risky step, which can almost be compared to a great political gamble. Armed with support of Congress, Monserrate is considered as biggest threat to BJP, considering the fact that he had managed to break saffron party’s vote bank — Boca-de-Vaca — during the 2015 civic polls.
Monserrate has never tested defeat since his entry into State politics in 2002 and that is his trump card. He is definitely giving some sleepless nights to BJP. Monserrate currently rules the city corporation, with 17 wards in hand.
The exit of Goa Suraksha Manch candidate Krishnaraj ‘Raju’ Sukerkar was nothing less than a shock for the Manch, allies of MGP. The last moment replacement of Sukerkar with Ketan Bhatikar is looked upon as a major risk. Despite being well known on social front the Panjim residents have heard very less about him (Bhatikar). His presence, however, is going to have a major vote divide.
When it comes to dividing votes, AAP is also going to play a major role here. Their candidate Valmiki Naik has managed to have an impressive campaign. AAP, which had led its focus on Catholic voters across the State, is finding little difficult in Panjim which is not so dominated by the community.
The five years of BJP in Panjim saw some important developments like ongoing construction of third Mandovi Bridge, the infamous Miramar-Dona Paula road and beautification, gaining status and funding under SMART CITY and AMRUT, bridge connecting Mala with Patto, etc.
However, the crucial issues haunting the State capital since decades including off shore casinos, garbage menace, contaminated St Inez Creek, flooding during rains and poor interior roads remained neglected during the tenure. There seems no effort from the BJP in resolving any of these issues-which even stand tall as failures of Kunkolienkar. People today believe that “Panjim has turned out to be worst from bad”.
“I don’t see any change in Panjim. The garbage continues to pile up along roadside, there is no facility to treat it. St Inez nalha is still stinking. Initially steps were taken to clean the nalha, but it looked to be an eyewash. You go in any part of the city and you will find poor roads. These are the basic issues concerning the Panjimites and I see no solution to it,” said Ramakrishna Chodankar, a resident who is been part of Panjim since 1970.
The historical St Inez creek, running right from Caranzalem to behind Old GMC complex, has been crying for attention for decades. The irony is that the creek remains to be highly contaminated, having no oxygen, no aquatic life, stinks leading to severe environmental pollution in the vicinity.
