Most seem set on going back to people for mandate to play another innings
Congress turncoats Minister Aleixo Sequeira and Digambar Kamat.
MARGAO
Salcete political heavyweights, seasoned campaigners and first time MLAs seemed all bracing up for the 2027 electoral battle in minority dominated taluka.
If many thought that the heavyweights and seasoned campaigners have called it a day in politics after presiding over Salcete political landscape spanning over decades, the answer is -- no, not yet.
In fact, almost all the heavyweights, including former Chief Ministers, Francisco Sardinha and Churchill Alemao do not rule the possibility of throwing their hat in the electoral ring in the 2027 Assembly polls.
Again, Congress turncoats, incumbent Minister Aleixo Sequeira and seven-time Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, appears all set to seek re-election in the coming election. Amongst the duo, it’s still unclear whether Kamat would throw his hat in the electoral ring for the ninth time from his fiefdom, or would hand over the baton to Son Yogiraj Kamat.
Former Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues, if sources are to be believed, is also bracing up to make a comeback from Velim constituency after his defeat in the 2022 husting.
Amongst the incumbent MLAs, the senior most amongst the lot – four-time Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco and three-time Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai have made no bones of their intention to seek re-election in 2027.
That’s not all. First-time MLAs, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, the Aam Aadmi Party duo compromising of MLAs Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva, besides BJP MLA from Navelim Ulhas Tuemkar are all working hard in their constituencies, indicating they will go back to the people for a mandate to play the second innings.
Former Chief Ministers and former MPs, Francisco Sardinha and Churchill Alemao are two politicians, who have presided over Salcete’s political scene over the last four decades. Leaders in their own right, the duo not only rose to become Chief Ministers, but also made their presence in Parliament as well.
Francisco Sardinha and Churchill Alemao say that they have not retired from politics. In fact, the duo does not the possibility of contesting the 2027 election if health permits.
On the other hand, former Chief Minister Luizinho Faleio seemed playing his cards close to his chest, neither confirming nor ruling out the possibility of making a comeback from his fiefdom Navelim.
The Churchill-Sardinha duo holds records of sorts in their political journey spanning over four decades. Senior-most amongst the political lot, Francisco Sardinha had started his career way back in 1977 and has lost only two Assembly elections from stronghold Curtorim, in 1994 and 2007. Sardinha, however, holds the distinction of making to Parliament on four occasions.
On the other hand, Churchill first made it the Goa Legislative Assembly in the 1989 election, and rose to become the Chief Minister of Goa for a brief period in the same term. A five-time time MLA, having won both from stronghold Benaulim and Navelim, Churchill twice made it to the Parliament in his political career spanning three decades.
Another bigwig from Salcete, former Chief Minister and former Rajya Sabha MP seemed keeping his cards close to his chest on his future political plans. Pose him a question on his political future, Faleiro say he is busy in penning his second book on Goa and Goa’s future. Saying he is closely watching the socio-political-economic developments unfolding in the state, Faleiro has plans to launch an apolitical movement in the state. Neither confirming nor ruling out the possibility of making a political comeback in the near future, Faleiro says that forthcoming book will prepare a road map on Goa’s future in various spheres of life.
Aleixo Sequeira and Digambar Kamat had made it to the Goa Legislative Assembly together in the 1994 elections, Aleixo Sequeira on the Congress banner and Digambar Kamat on the BJP. Amongst the duo, Digambar Kamat has not lost a single election since he was first elected to the Assembly 30 years ago. In fact, he has won from Margao as many as seven times, besides a bye-poll in 2005 after he had switched sides to the Congress to head the Congress government as Chief Minister two years later in 2007.
In comparison, Aleixo Sequeira had a good strike rate, winning as many as five elections, holding the distinction of getting elected to the Legislative Assembly unopposed. He, however, had lost the 2012 polls during the strong anti-congress wave that decimated the Congress in its traditional bastion Salcete. Incidentally, while Aleixo Sequeira had gone to the public saying he would seek re-election from Nuvem if the BJP nominates him as party candidate for the 2027 election, questions are raised in Margao political circles whether Digambar Kamat would seek re-election for a record eight time in his fiefdom or hand over the baton to son Yogiraj.
