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Two more reports on the delimitation issue. -- Goa delimitation to benefit BJP Sandesh Prabhudesai 5 March 2003 The fresh delimitation process of the Assembly constituencies has raised furore in Goa as it may directly benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party while severely affecting the opposition Congress that had ruled here for 15 years. "The BJP can now come to power without the help of any party if the new proposals are implemented", states Luizinho Faleiro, the former Congress chief minister. He suspects the hidden agenda behind reconstitution of the 40 Assembly segments. The BJP is today ruling a coalition government here, with the help of five legislators belonging to the Hindu-dominated Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Christian-dominated United Goans Democratic Party. "We are absolutely not connected with the delimitation process and the election commission headed by Justice Kuldeep Singh has carried out the entire exercise", claims chief minister Manohar Parrikar. After Goa was granted statehood in 1987 and the Assembly segments were increased form 30 to 40, the delimitation is taking place here for the second time. The first one was held in 1988, based on 1981 census figures of population. However, the first reconstitution had benefited the Congress tremendously as the formation of constituencies had kept most of the minority-dominated segments together, providing absolute advantage to the Congress. Perhaps this is the reason the Congress could manage 16 seats against 17 of the BJP even in the last Assembly polls, in spite of the fact that the Congress was totally a divided force and people were fed up with their self-centred defection politics for over a decade. The draft prepared by the commission in the second round, which got leaked here yesterday, suggests formation of five new Assembly segments, while wiping out three existing ones. While replacing the north-south ratio of 21-19 Assembly segments to 2o each in both Panaji (North) and Mormugao (South) Parliamentary constituencies, reconstitution of almost 36 segments could also benefit the BJP, if the Congress continues relying upon the minority vote bank in Goa. As per the new formula, Mayem in the North and Priol, Curchorem and Poinguinim in the South have been totally wiped out. Instead, new constituencies like Penha da France, Sanquelim, Se Old Goa and Tivim-Aldona in the North and Vaddem in the port town of Vasco (South) have been added to the list. According to sources in the election commission, the reconstitution has taken place due to tremendous increase in the population, from 10.07 lakh in '81 to 11.70 lakh in '91, forcing the commission to increase the segment to the population of 29,000 each. Meanwhile, Faleiro has strongly objected to the speaker appointing four BJP legislators and only one Congress legislator as associate members of the three-member commission, besides two BJP MPs. His letter may be taken up at the next meeting scheduled on 12 March, when the politician members will meet the commission for the first time. This round would however follow yet another round of public hearing in Goa, only after which the final list of the delimitation would be prepared. --- Delimitation to hit Mickky, Neri (HERALD) MARGAO, MARCH 5 -- The delimitation process is bound to affect two ministers, Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco and Filipe Neri Rodrigues, in the South as major areas of their segments have been merged in other constituencies. Infact the delimiation draft seeks to merge tourism minister's home village Betalbatim in Loutolim constituency, while water resources minister's village Darmapur-Sirlim is sought to be merged with Navelim. While the draft proposals has met with strong reactions in other segments, the BJP is sitting pretty as both Margao and Fatorda represented by the party remain untouched. Besides, the saffron party is set to gain advantage over Catholic dominated Velim since the draft has proposed to expand the political boundaries of this constituency across the three talukas of Salcete, Quepem and Canacona. Elsewhere, the draft paper promises to keep the warring Alemaos and the Pachecos at a distance, while some of the sitting MLAs have come face to face in other segments. Two ministers in the BJP led coalition government -- Tourism Minister, Mickky Pacheco (UGDP) and Water Resources Minister, Filipe Neri Rodrigues (IND), will have to contend with the fact that major chunk of their segments has been taken away and merged with other constituencies. If one goes by the draft paper, the Tourism Minister's home village of Betalbatim no longer form part of the high profile Benaulim constituency. The draft delimitation has proposed to merge Betalbatim along with Majorda into neighbouring Loutolim constituency, represented by former Industries Minister, Alexio Sequeira for the last three terms. Two-time Velim MLA and Water Resources Minister, Filipe Neri faces the same predicament. His home village -- Dramapur-Sirlim is sought to be merged with the neighbouring Navelim segment -- a stronghold of former Chief Minister, Luizinho Faleiro. Given this situation, the water resources minister will have only limited options. If not Navelim, he will have Cuncolim, now represented by Joaquim Alemao as his second option, since Chinchinim -- a major segment of Velim, is proposed to be merged in that constituency. The addition of Dramapur-Sirlim might not give any hiccups to Luizinho Faleiro, since the village was part of Navelim constituency earlier. But, the inclusion of Sao Jose de Areal -- having a sizeable OBC population and now part of Curtorim, into Navelim might unnerve the Navelim strongman to the extent that his opponents ably supported by the saffron party might try to consolidate the OBCs against him as was done last time. Incidentally, the draft has excluded Telaulim and all the coastal villages from Navelim. As far as Curtorim constituency is concerned, one will have to wait for sometime to see whether this segment will be reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. This is because the draft delimitation has excluded Sao Jose de Areal from the constituency and has included Chandor, Guirdolim and Carmurlim, which has little or no OBC population. In a way, Sardinha stands to gain with the inclusion of Guirdolim and Chandor into Curtorim since he enjoys a good rapport with these villages as they earlier formed part of this segment. Barring Cavelossim village, which the draft has proposed to merge with Velim, Benaulim constituency will again see the return of many a coastal villages in its fold. The draft paper has retained the villages of Benaulim and Colva in Benaulim segment, besides adding Varca, Seraulim, Telaulim and Carmona to this constituency. Churchill's political bete noire, Mickky Pacheco's village of Betalbatim along with Majorda now finds place in Loutolim constituency. Other villages in this constituency include Verna, Loutolim and Nuvem. Margao and Fatorda assembly constituencies remain unchanged. ENDS _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.goanet.org/mailman/listinfo/goanet
