TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: As curtains came down on the Zilla Panchayat campaign on Monday evening, all eyes are focussed on key constituencies in Salcete which witnessed a keen tussle in the run up to the election and where emotive issues reigned supreme over developmental agenda.
The last day of the campaign saw candidates making last-ditch effort to reach out to voters on motorcycles or door-to-door or by addressing the media on Monday.
Amongst the key constituencies, which witnessed a no-holds-barred campaign, was Colva where South Goa ZP Chairperson Nelly Rodrigues is locked in a triangular contest with Marcus D’Souza and Joao Pereira. Election to the Colva seat was marked by issues such as beef shortage, ghar wapsi and attacks on the churches and Mother Teresa.
The neighbouring constituency of Nuvem witnessed a straight fight between South Goa Deputy vice-Chairperson Wilfred D’Sa and GVP nominee Marcelinho Faria. Both the camps did not leave anything to chance and went about holding a host of corner meetings, besides door-to-door campaigns. In fact, Wilfred wound his campaign with an impressive public meeting at Nuvem on Sunday. Nuvem was another constituency where issues such as beef shortage, ghar wapsi and attacks on minorities rent the air during the entire campaign.
At Benaulim, the three candidates in fray, two-time ZP member Maria Rebello and her challengers Hannibal D”Costa and Walter Pereira apparently left no stone unturned to reach out to the voters. While Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva hit the campaign in favour of Hannibal, former Minister Churchill Alemao drummed up support for Maria. The third candidate Walter Pereira exuded confidence in winning the seat, saying that he is the only genuine Independent candidate in the fray and that both Hannibal and Maria have the backing of politicians. “How can both Hannibal and Maria claim they are Independent when they are backed by MLA Caitu Silva and Churchill Alemao respectively”, Walter asked at a media briefing in the presence of Roosevelt Rodrigues, Nazario Pinto, Jose Afonso and others.
Rebel BJP leader Satyavijai Naik on Monday claimed that he received a boost to his campaign with an Independent candidate Vallabh Varak withdrawing in his favour. Satyavijai said the BJP leaders responsible for denying him the party ticket will come to know that the party decision was bad and against the wishes of the party workers.
In Curtorim, former ZP Chairperson Clafacio Dias, who was battling the outsider status, held an impressive meeting at Curtorim market on Sunday in a bid to send a message to his political opponents that he enjoys support of the people for his candidature.
