Battle for prestige at Anjuna as Lobos seek to prove a point

Panaji: The Anjuna zilla panchayat constituency is set for a high-stakes contest as voters in Anjuna-Caisua, Assagao and Verla-Canca cast ballots on Saturday.

The seat tests the political clout of the Lobo couple, with Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo’s prestige on the line


BJP has fielded veteran karyakarta, Narayan Mandrekar, husband of outgoing ZP member Niharika Mandrekar, who enjoys the backing of both Delilah and former minister Dayanand Mandrekar. For Delilah and her husband, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, retaining this seat is paramount if they want to maintain their place within the party.

In 2020, of the 8,536 votes that were polled, Niharika bagged 4,429 votes for the saffron party, indicating a strong 51% of the vote share. A lot has changed since then.

Congress is banking on local resentment over noise pollution, angst around illegal party zones, and deteriorating infrastructure in Siolim constituency. The party has fielded taxi union leader Yogesh Govekar, whose grassroots appeal has altered the electoral math. However, this has proven divisive, with some taxi unions unconvinced.

“Traffic congestion remains a major challenge. A promise of development is given before elections, but later we find that the rich get richer while the common man remains where he was,” said a 36-year-old local.

The race has been further complicated by a multi-cornered contest. Balbhim Malvankar, president of Chapora Boat Owners Association, who was denied a Congress ticket, is contesting as an independent. Pujan Malvankar (AAP) and Mingel Curoz (RG) are in the fray, threatening to split the anti-incumbency vote.

Gajanand Tilve, a close aide of the Lobos, has had a falling out, adding a twist to the political equations in Siolim constituency. Incumbent representatives for the Anjuna and Siolim ZP seats are from the BJP camp, and the Lobos are desperate to prove to the BJP higher rung that they can keep the party flag flying high on the saffron fortress.

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