If the BJP is in power in the state of Goa today, they have the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party to thank. Well, obviously because the two parties — more particularly the Goa Forward Party — that led a fierce campaign against the BJP prior to the elections, made an about turn, and decided to support the BJP if Manohar Parrikar was made Chief Minister.
It later transpired that the BJP and the Goa Forward Party had a secret understanding even before the election results were out that they would combine forces.
But coalition partners aside, there is one other thing that the BJP has to be grateful for — the people of Mormugao taluka. Four out of the four seats in Mormugao taluka were won by the BJP without which, the party’s tally would have been a paltry nine — the same number the Congress was reduced to back in 2012.
Vasco, Mormugao, Dabolim and Cortalim all represented by BJP MLA’s was what saved the BJP’s face in 2017.
And it didn’t come easy. Milind Naik, now a minister, defeated his nearest rival Sankalp Amonkar of the Congress by less than 50 votes, the narrowest margin of the entire election. Alina Saldanha of the Cortalim constituency won by a narrow margin that was largely down to a split of votes among her rivals which included her nephew Olencio Simoes of the AAP.
The four seats of Mormugao may not seem like much, but aside from the Dabolim constituency, in which minister Mauvin Godinho, it appears, is on a very sure footing, the other three seats in the constituency are anybody’s game leaving the opposition parties smacking their lips at taking a shot of wrestling these seats from the BJP.
Take the example of the Vasco seat. Presently represented by two-time MLA Carlos Almeida of the BJP, the seat is very likely to see a change of face. And the change may come from within with the BJP said to be mulling replacing its current MLA with another candidate Daji Salkar. Almeida’s reported health issues have not helped his cause. A new face may help the BJP counter the anti-incumbency that it is facing in that seat.
The BJP’s Mormugao seat too is up for grabs present MLA Milind Naik’s lackadaisical performance and his narrow margin making a reelection difficult. With the Congress breathing down his neck, Naik will have to pull all his might if he is to ensure victory. But he is not one to go down without a fight.
In Cortalim, BJP MLA Alina Saldanha too is facing a wave of anti incumbency especially fueled by her party’s insistence of going forward with the double tracking of the railway line and unwillingness to listen to the grievances of the people concerning coal handling at the nearby Mormugao Port. The Congress seems best placed to cash in but will have to be wary of a repeat of the situation last year when a split of votes between the various rivals ensured that Alina was elected for a second term.
For now the jury is still out on which way the constituency will vote that makes it one of the most interesting talukas to keep an eye on ahead of the coming polls.
By – Andrea Fernandes
