Tawadkar protects home turf with Ajay’s win, Isidore loses impact

Panaji: BJP’s Ajita ‘Ajay’ Loliencar withstood the challenge of Goa Forward’s Prashant Naik to ensure that Poinguinim stays saffron at the zilla panchayat elections.

Ajay garnered 5,345 or 40% of the total votes to finish ahead of GFP’s Prashant Naik (4,487). Former Cotigao sarpanch and Congress rebel candidate Daya ‘Umesh’ Gaonkar polled 1,403 votes as an independent, proving to be the major difference in the end.


“I expected to win by a bigger margin and must accept that the lead is small,” Loliencar told reporters after it was confirmed that the winning margin was 858 votes. “Sir (Ramesh Tawadkar) and the karyakartas worked tirelessly to ensure that I win here. Everyone thought I would get a bigger lead, but I am happy that we have won this one.”

Regardless of the margin, the victory would taste sweet for Loliencar and Tawadkar—Goa’s sports minister—both of whom had a point to prove. While questions were raised that Loliencar was imported into the party and handed a ticket against the wishes of the hardcore party workers, Tawadkar had to defend his turf by fending off challenge from former Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes, who had thrown his weight behind the Congress-GFP alliance candidate.

Asked what could have been the factors behind his reduced margin of victory, Loliencar, a former two-time sarpanch, pointed at a crowded field that had many candidates who enjoyed individual support of their own. “Everyone campaigned to get votes. Maybe that’s why the lead was reduced,” he said.

Formerly a student leader and president of the Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Naik was confident of winning the seat. A panch member here almost three decades ago and now chairman of the Nirakar Education Society, GFP had campaigned extensively in support of its founder member. Naik and Loliencar are from the same village, and have been friends for a long time. GFP had insisted and secured the Poinguinim seat as part of the alliance, but its efforts to wrest the seat remained unfulfilled.

According to those who witnessed the election closely, Isidore couldn’t influence voters in Poinguinim, while even in Loliem, his stronghold, there was not much of an impact. “My victory belongs to every worker and voter. Sir Tawadkar has had a major role to play,” said Ajay Loliencar, whose connect with the grassroots helped him overcome the stiff challenge.

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