Congress leaders rooting for INDI Alliance in the State may have to grapple with growing voices against alliances with any of the opposition parties in the future. Sources informed that most of the Congress block presidents and grassroots leaders seemed vehemently opposed to electoral tie-ups with other opposition parties. Leave alone the assembly elections due in 2027, Congressmen want the party to contest the Zilla Panchayat polls scheduled in 2025 on the party banner in all the ZP constituencies. Will the party leadership lend their ears to the emerging voices of the grassroots workers against alliances? Wait and watch.
What does BJP's South Goa pick for ZP chief signal?
The BJP is all set to retain its hold over the South Goa Zilla panchayat. In fact, there was never any doubt that the BJP would have smooth sailing at the South district panchayat body. What, however, has thrown up a question or two is the party’s pick of candidate, Sanjanabai Velip for the top post. At a time when speculation was rife that Panchayat Minister Mauvinbab Godinho’s close supporter, ZP Anitabai Thorat may occupy the top seat, the saffron brigade has settled for Sanjanabai’s candidature. Is BJP’s decision part of long-term planning to strengthen its hold over the ST community, which enjoys a significant presence in South Goa? Wait and watch.
How Monte Cruz 'helped' Damu win Fatorda seat
Amongst the stream of visitors who paid their last respects to former sports minister late Montebab Cruz was former BJP two-time Fatorda MLA Damubab Naik. In fact, Damubab was the cynosure of all eyes but for a different reason. Damubab was first elected to the Goa Legislative Assembly in the 2002 election by a thin 588-vote margin, thanks to Montebab Cruz. For, the former sports minister, contesting the 2002 election from Fatorda, had polled almost 4000 votes, around 3992 votes to be precise, enough to stop the political innings of three-time Congress MLA Mama Cardozo and pave the way for Damubab’s entry into the Legislative Assembly. Any questions?
'Will call spade a spade,' cornered Reginaldo roars
Curtorim MLA Reginaldbab Lourenco roared and thundered during the weekend that he would call spade a spade, sending a message loud and clear to all and sundry and his opponents, not to mess with him. The independent MLA, who is an alliance partner of the BJP-led government, was replying to a remark made by a person on agriculture at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. Since he extended his support to the BJP government post-2022 Assembly elections, the four-time Curtorim MLA has come under intense fire from opponents. Wait and watch.
Saxtti taxi war: All eyes on mediation by Venzy, Kamat
As the taxi war between tourist taxi operators and taxi aggregators flared up in Saxtti countryside, AAP's Benaulim MLA Venzybab Viegas and Cong-turned-BJP Margao MLA Diggu have come under sharp focus. Friday saw Venzybab strongly taking up cudgels for the tourist taxi operators from Benaulim coastal belt. The weekend saw BJP leader, Paragbab Raikar, a taxi aggregator from Margao, and taxi operators, looking forward to Diggu’s intervention to facilitate the entry of taxis under his app into the Saxtti coastal belt. The Venzy-Diggu duo, sources say, share a perfect rapport. Wait and watch how they would go about resolving the issue.
