http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=050918
Willy to battle it out for Saligao By Joaquim Fernandes Panaji, May 8 Saligao constituency has long been the personal stronghold of Dr Wilfred de Souza. He has represented the Saligao constituency for over 20 years. This time he is facing a battle from the BJP and Independent candidate, Mr Trajano D'Mello. The MGP is also fielding its candidate, Mr Anand Tulaskar from Saligao. But observers feel that Dr de Souza will still manage to win Saligao. In the last assembly election, there was no alliance between the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party and Dr de Souza thus had to fight off a challenge from the Congress candidate, Mr Trajano D'Mello and also the BJP candidate, Mr Sadguru Harmalkar. This time, the alliance looks like it is happening and if it does, Dr de Souza will have no Congress candidate to worry about. Mr D'Mello is understood to be fighting as an Independent and how much danger he can pose to Dr de Souza as an Independent remains to be seen. Saligao constituency is made up of seven village panchayats; Saligao, Parra, Arpora-Nagoa, Guirim, Bastora, Ucassaim-Paliem-Punola and Sangolda. The total voters are 21,573. Observers feel that the panchayat elections are an indication of the growing support to Dr de Souza. For example, in the Bastora panchayat, Dr de Souza's panel won six out of seven seats. Also, Dr de Souza is learnt to have won new supporters in Parra and Arpora. Part of the reason, is that as Deputy Chief Minister, Dr de Souza has been able to do more development work, observers feel. The BJP is fielding a new face – Mr Deelip Parulekar. The businessman has been a BJP member for the last 15 years though he has never contested an election. He feels that with every election, Dr de Souza's victory margin has declined and that this time the BJP will romp home victorious. Among other things, Mr Parulekar is the president of the Saligao Yuva Manch. He says the youth are with him and he will win on their support. If he wins, his top priority will be to build a new bridge connecting Calangute to Arpora because the present one is very narrow and dilapidated and causes lot of traffic congestion. He has a target to build at least two-three playgrounds in Saligao and a water treatment plant near Guirim to tide over the water shortage problem of this part of Bardez. Mr D'Mello said his campaigning was much ahead of any of the other candidates because he has been in direct contact with the people of Saligao constituency for the last four years. He said he has been directly meeting with all sections of society, be it teachers, farmers, women, etc. and listening to their problems. If he wins, he will go from ward to ward, build up a community spirit, listen to the people's problems and do what they want, he said. _______________________________________________ Saligao 403511 website http://saligao.goa-india.org Saligaonet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goacom.org/mailman/listinfo/saligaonet
