Dempo overpowers Peter in GFA final

Dempo overpowers Peter in GFA final
*Shrinivas wins by 10 votes *Lavinio knocks out Francis  *Savio Messias gains recognition
HERALD SPORTS REPORTER
PANJIM, OCT 24
Shrinivas V Dempo will be the new face, heading the Goa Football Association (GFA) for a 4-year term from 2010 after he secured 10 more votes than his rival Peter Vaz for the post of president at the general elections held at Hotel Mandovi on Sunday. The score was 85-75 in favour of Dempo.
It was a neck-to-neck contest between Shrinivas and Dempo as the votes were being counted. It gave jitters to both camps as the lead continued fluctuating for a long spell, until Dempo crossed the half way mark of 81, since all the 160 members who were eligible to vote turned up to exercise the franchise.
Dempo who had floated his dream panel, could not, however, capture all posts, losing both the important posts of vice-presidents to candidates supported by Peter Vaz. The Dempo panel also lost four posts of members to those fielded by Peter Vaz.
The biggest surprise was the election of outgoing general secretary Savio Messias from Mormugao Zone, who was portrayed by the rival camp as the man responsible for all the alleged ills that plagued the GFA during the past three years under Joaquim Alemao.
That was the biggest slap that Messias could inflict on all his big detractors, who had painted him as the bad face of Goan football. He defeated the Dempo-backed panel Andrew, garnering just three more votes than the last placed contestant.
Hats off to vice-president Lavinio Rebello, the energetic Sarpanch of Anjuna-Caissua. His 43-29 victory over once considered Bardez stalwart, Francis Fernandes, who had the full-throated backing from Shrinivas, stunned everyone.
It was his 14-vote margin that raised many an eyebrow as it was Francis who was one of those at the heart of floating the Bardez club panel to select the candidates when Lavinio point black disagreed to be in the fray when the Bardez Clubs had an internal meeting. In a way it was a well-earned, deserving promotion for the St Mary’s HS (Mapusa) teacher.
The election of vice-president Elvis Gomes, CCP Commissioner, was on the expected lines although he faced a formidable candidate in the form of well-known Vinod Parkkot of Vasco, who has had a long, fruitful stint in the GFA.
Elvis’ 24-vote margin could be attributed to his personal charisma and a reward for his dedicated work for the past three years for GFA and moreover for Cuncolim Union, having been elected unopposed as president for the second term.
The election of Alirio Lobo as a member from Bardez was another big surprise. He was considered as a dark horse and moreover was not in the Dempo-backed panel. The silent but sincere worker of Calangute Association of which he is the secretary, surprised many since he displaced veteran Tony Remedios from Saligao.
Lawrence Gomes pulled the highest number of votes in South Goa (73), followed by Schubert Furtado (54) who is making a comeback after a gap of three years. Anthony Pango and Bishut Themudo just managed to scrape through. Except for Bishut, the other three were from the Dempo-panel. Incidentally, both Schubert and Bishut hail from Navelim.
Welwyn Menezes (Dempo panel) from Goa Velha topped the Ilhas zone with 44 while Babli Mandrekar (Dempo panel) did it likewise in Bardez with 45. With Sanjiv (39) and Anju (34) making the Ilhas list, Tonito Botelho, an authority in football matters, finished fourth with 30.
Tonito’s defeat was of his own making, since he did not canvass at all, but backed Peter Vaz. Tonito belongs to the old school of thought that believes that the clubs should make their own evaluation and that one should not go on shouting on the rooftop.
Former football commentator Lume Pereira, aptly described Tonito as, “One who does not follow the modern day, present syllabus and curriculum, and hence ends up as a loser.” Even then, Tonito is very happy that there was a contest and that this time it was a fierce one, which is a healthy sign of a vibrant democratic functioning.
The new committee will have in all seven faces making it for the first time. Six others were in the previous committee while four others were in the committee some years ago. 
There were few clubs who preferred to submit blank ballot papers.
Meanwhile, Peter Vaz thanked the GFA clubs for the support and love he received. While congratulating Shrinivas, he reiterated he had stood for football and had fought as a common man.
“I do not carry a huge legacy with my name but I carry a tag of self made man. I am a fighter and I fought for the glory of Goan football. All the while I knew the odds facing power and money. My heart was not daunted to take on the high and mighty for the cause of Goan football,” stated Peter.
Urban Development Minister, Joaquim Alemao, Shivanand Salgaocar, Alberto Colaco also attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, the first item on the agenda, the inter-village rules amendments, were not even taken up for consideration. It was the Bardez Clubs that had made a hue and cry against the new rules and sought changes. But all that was forgotten today in view of the hotly contested elections.