Larger Saligao sans political veteranVijay de Souza, TNN | Aug 7, 2011, 01.18AM IST Article<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Larger-Saligao-sans-political-veteran/articleshow/9511238.cms> Comments (2)<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Larger-Saligao-sans-political-veteran/opinions/9511238.cms>
<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Larger-Saligao-sans-political-veteran/articleshow/9511238.cms#write> <http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Larger-Saligao-sans-political-veteran/articleshow/9511238.cms?prtpage=1> Read More:Saligao Constituency<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Saligao-constituency> |Calangute Constituency<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Calangute-constituency> While Saligao constituency's demography has undergone a sea change after the delimitation exercise, its political landscape will be without a veteran player. The constituency, expanded to include Calangute constituency's Pilerne, Reis Magos and Nerul villages, while retaining Sangolda, Guirim and Saligao, will see Saligao-resident Wilfred de Souza step out of the political race. The retired surgeon, who has worn several political coats since his debut in politics with the now defunct United Goans party, told STOI on Saturday, "I am not very interested in contesting for the Saligao seat." The former chief minister's son-in-law, Tulio de Souza will, instead, contest. "Tulio has been working in the constituency. He was my election manager for 2-3 terms," Dr Willy, as he is better known, said. He was, however, non-committal on whether this decision meant he was retiring from active politics. "Health-wise I am very fine," the octogenarian smiled. The new constituency's dynamics, on the other hand, "work very well" for local BJP <http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Bharatiya-Janata-Party> MLA Dilip Parulekar. Sources say that the BJP had carved out the constituency at the time of the delimitation exercise as it was found favourable for them. This might just continue to hold true for the party as the majority community's vote base has now upped from around 55% to 65% in the new constituency, sources added. Dilip, who runs a construction-material business on Chogm road in Porvorim, said he has undertaken several projects in the present constituency, "that too while being in the opposition". "I've been working at the grassroots level from day one. Developmental works of over 40 crore have been undertaken in the constituency, and with the support of the BJP cadre, I am confident of a second term," Dilip told STOI. Another Parulekar, vying for the Saligao seat, is equally confident of winning. Veteran politician Suresh Parulekar who is senior vice-president of the state NCP has made it clear that he intends to contest the forthcoming elections from the constituency. The former industries minister of the Congress in the 90s, Suresh, who has been Calangute MLA twice, has taken up issues of OBC reservation, BPL cards, over the last few months, sources said. "The new Saligao constittuency is better for me than the Calangute constituency. Inclusion of the three villages-Nerul, Pilerne and Reis Magos-has given a boost to my candidature, as this was my strong base all along," Suresh claimed. Incidentally, both Parulekars belong to the Bhandari Samaj, a dominant factor in the constituency. While Dr Willy will not figure in the Saligao contestants' list, his one-time PA, Trajano D'Mello, who plunged into the electoral fray in 2002, is determined to try his luck again. As an independent, his performance against his former boss in 2007 is rated as good as the latter was then state president of the NCP, which, in turn, was a pre-poll partner of the Congress. "Much depends on who will eventually be in the fray," said Trajano, adding that whether NCP will be in alliance with Congress again too will be a crucial factor. Claiming that he has been working in the new Saligao constituency<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Saligao-constituency> for the last four years, Trajano described the situation as fluid and said the inclusion of the three new villages has not altered his prospects. Tulio, an architect by profession, will be contesting the assembly elections for the first time. Having been behind the scenes for three elections with his father-in-law, Tulio is seeking a Congress ticket though he is yet to join the party. The first experience with electoral politics was bitter for Tulio. It was for the Saligao seat of the zilla panchayat election held a-year-and-a-half ago. The former president of the Goa chapter of the architects association, lost to Michael Lobo by over 500 votes. "Though I lost, I could poll more than 4,000 votes. I went back to the grassroots level building up my base," he told STOI. "I have been in public life for over 10 years-been past president of architects' bodies, served on government bodies like director of GSIDC and member of GSPCB and am serving the second term as vice-president of MUCB, besides various others village-level committees," Tulio rattled off. For quite sometime now, Tulio has also been working to revive and promote agriculture in a big way and to revitalize sports organizations. Among others who may contest the assembly seat are president of North Goa zilla panchayat, Jayesh Salgaonkar, and former PDA member Devanand Naik. Analysts further say that as three villages-Pilerne, Reis Magos and Nerul-were formerly in Calangute constituency<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Calangute-constituency>, MLA Agnelo Fernandes will also be a factor in the Saligao election. Going by the present situation, there are many aspirants to challenge the sitting BJP legislator, Dilip Parulekar. Most of them are seeking NCP or Congress tickets. If all of them or even most contest, there will be a clear advantage for Dilip, especially since Dilip's win in 2007, in a multi-cornered fight, was by a margin of only around 2,000 votes. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Larger-Saligao-sans-political-veteran/articleshow/9511238.cms FN +91-832-2409490 or +91-9822122436 (after 2pm) #784 Nr Lourdes Convent, Saligao 403511 Goa India http://fn.goa-india.org http://goa1556.goa-india.org -- Saligao-Net is at http://groups.google.com/group/saligao-net To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe email [email protected]
