Their party affiliations may not have been confirmed as of now, but it is quite certain that Cortalim constituency will witness a battle between three ZP members – Nelly Rodrigues, Anthony Vaz and Mariano Rodrigues – who are vying for the Cortalim seat.
CORTALIM
Veteran four-time ZP member from Colva constituency, Nelly Rodrigues, who was the runners up in the 2012 Assembly elections, has already made her intentions clear to contest, although she has not announced the party. Nelly claims she has been receiving offers.
Nelly, who lost by a margin of around 2,000 votes in 2012 elections, failed miserably in migrant-dominated Zuari Nagar, where she polled just over 600 as against late Matanhy Saldanha who garnered over 2,700 votes.
But she is confident of changing the equation this time around. “I have been receiving tremendous response in Zuari Nagar, where I have been rendering my services all round the year. Also my support in Cansaulim, Velsao and Cortalim-Quelossim remains strong,” Nelly told The Goan.
Another ZP member from Cortalim and 2002 BJP candidate, Anthony Vaz, however, does not seem to be lagging behind in confidence. Vaz, a four-time panch, who also served as Cortalim-Quelossim sarpanch on more than one occasion, put up an excellent show in the ZP elections winning by a massive lead. He relegated BJP candidate and Matanhy’s nephew, Olencio Simoes, to the third spot.
Vaz’s wife Merciana Vaz is deputy sarpanch of Cortalim-Quelossim panchayat.
Vaz, who polled over 4,700 votes in the 2002 Assembly elections on the BJP ticket, could have been instrumental in sending Matanhy to the Assembly for the first time. The election saw Mauvin Godinho biting the dust for the first time.
This time, Vaz says, there is no looking back. “I will contest the election and the party banner will be decided by my supporters. I will organise a meeting with them and they will be my guides,” Vaz told The Goan, although he did not rule out contesting as an independent candidate.
Vaz says that his support base is quite strong in Cortalim, Quelossim, Cansaulim and down Sancoale and also has good support from BJP workers particularly in Cortalim and Sancoale as was evident in the ZP polls.
The third ZP candidate to throw his hat in the ring is Sancoale ZP member Mariano Rodrigues, who is virtually confirmed of a Congress ticket. Rodrigues had won by highest margin in Goa in the 2012 panchayat elections and also romped home comfortably in the ZP elections by a lead of over 3,500 votes.
“I was trailing in Chicalim village by around 500 votes but I made up in Sancoale and managed a lead of over 3,500 votes,” Mariano told The Goan.
However, in the bye-election for his ward in Zuari Nagar, Rangapa Kamal who is affiliated to the BJP won.
Mariano who is yet to test his popularity in Cortalim-Quelossim, Cansaulim and Velsao panchayats as it does not form part of Sancoale ZP constituency has the backing of Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE), a traditional fishermen body mostly based in Dando-Pale in Velsao.
GRE, which had been traditionally backing its leader Matanhy Saldanha, is, however, fast losing its base, with many of its members having migrated to Europe and is also lacking cohesiveness.
