After winning twice in a row, BJP lost its hold over the
constituency
in 2017 when Jayesh Salgaonkar (Goa Forward Party)
upset
the odds.
Congress is making strong efforts to win the seat with the backing of former BJP minister and now Congress’ Calangute candidate, Michael Lobo.
Though AAP and TMC are also in the fray,
Saligao
appears to be a direct contest between Salgaonkar, now with BJP, and Congress nominee Kedar Naik, sarpanch of Reis Magos.
TMC chose Bholanath Ghadi Sakhalkar over Yatish Naik, who was among the first to join TMC, along with its national vice-president Luizinho Faleiro.
AAP has nominated businessman Mario Cordeiro, but both are unlikely to make a big impact.
At best, their presence could lead to some division of votes, said one observer who did not wish to be named.
“The contest is between Jayesh and Kedar. The common factor between the two parties is that both have imported
candidates
in an attempt to win the seat, disturbing core party workers,” he said.
Kedar’s entry into Congress and nomination in less than two weeks hasn’t gone down well with many
Congress spokesperson Tulio D’Souza, who contested the 2012 election on Congress ticket and polled 4,276 votes, is among those who were left dejected.
Kedar has rock-solid support from Lobo who is pursuing ‘Mission Bardez’. There is anti-incumbency against BJP too, but the Reis Magos sarpanch’s reach, many feel, is limited to his panchayat. His success will depend on whether he can win over the other five panchayats -- Saligao, Guirim, Sangolda, Pilerne and Nerul.
Even though Salgaonkar has not been able to do much developmental work for the constituency, despite being a minister for about two years while with GFP, he has a bigger appeal, observers feel. The former legislator also has the support of outgoing MLA Rohan Khaunte of the neighbouring constituency of Porvorim.
In 2017, he polled 9,735 votes and won by a margin of 2,137 on a GFP ticket, defeating former tourism minister Dilip Parulekar. Those who tracked the election in Saligao say Salgaonkar benefitted from minority votes, which he is unlikely to get this time around.
Salgaonkar’s crossing over to BJP was not taken kindly by the Saligao Mandal and needed intervention from Goa election in-charge Devendra Fadnavis to pacify party workers.
In a bid to placate Parulekar, he was recently appointed party vice-president. Significantly, the former MLA failed to win a third term as some party workers went against him in 2017.
It is not Parulekar alone who has been upset with the induction of Jayesh.
Zilla panchayat member Rupesh Naik has also left the party and is now contesting as an Independent, providing some advantage to Kedar, a political observer said.
Issues plaguing Saligao are certain to take a back seat as
internal
party
rivalries
come into play and could prove to upset calculations of the two
leading
candidates.
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