Will his unbeaten track record favour him?
MARGAO
The sitting MP has an impressive political track record since he made his debut in politics in the 1977 Assembly election from Curtorim. He has won as many as six Assembly elections in his political career spanning over 40 years. He has never lost a Lok Sabha election since he first made it to Parliament in the late 90’s. His supporters openly say that the Congress had lost the 2014 Lok sabha election after the ticket was snatched from the sitting MP. And, the party regained the seat in the 2019 when Sardinha was nominated again for South Goa.
He, however, is facing a tough challenge from the younger lot in the party. Besides, Congress allies, including the Goa Forward Party, have openly opposed Sardinha’s candidature for South Goa. Presently in his late 70’s, the age factor may also not go in favour of Sardinha, sources say.
GIRISH CHODANKAR
Can proximity with party bigwigs earn him ticket?
That the ex-GPCC Chief had closely set his eyes on the South Goa seat long ago had become evident when he proceeded on long leave from his educational institution last year. Unlike Sardinha’s impressive track record, success has eluded the former State Congress president in electoral politics.
Barring his election to the Margao Municipal Council in the 90’s, Chodankar has lost as many as two Assembly elections from Margao in 2002 and the Panjim bye-election. He lost the North Goa Lok Sabha seat by a big margin in the 2019 election.
His status as a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), Congress’ highest decision making body and close proximity to Rahul Gandhi, however, had brought him back in reckoning for the South Goa ticket. Chodankar is believed to have mended fences with long time political rival, Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai, apparently to ensure that his bid for the ticket has a smooth sailing.
CAPT VIRIATO FERNANDES
Will party fighter be rewarded his gloves?
Compared to sitting MP Francisco Sardinha and ex-GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar, the ex-Naval captain’s journey into the world of politics has been relatively new.
Opting for voluntary retirement after serving 26 long years in the Navy in 2017, Viriato was all set to fly to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to take up a lucrative offer in the aeronautical industry before he was baptized in social activism at Sada, Vasco in 2018. Viriato made his debut in electoral politics in the 2022 Assembly polls when he took on political heavyweight Mauvin Godinho in Dabolim before going down fighting and losing the election by a narrow margin.
