Congress retains South Goa LS seat
BY HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, NOV 3 Putting all speculations of a close finish to rest, Congress candidate Francisco Sardinha won the bye-poll for the Mormugao Lok Sabha seat with a landslide margin of 40,902 votes over his BJP rival Dr Wilfred Mesquita. This is the second time that Sardinha has been elected to Parliament from South Goa the first time being in 1998. Sardinhas comfortable victory helped the Congress to retain the seat, which was vacated by Save Goa Front supremo Churchill Alemao in May. While Sardinha polled 1,18,583 votes, his BJP rival Dr Wilfred Mesquita had to be content with only 77,681 votes a clear margin of 40,902 votes. The two Independents, Jawahar Dias and Hamza Khan, polled 2986 and 1945 votes respectively. The one vote cast in Kundaim was not taken up for counting. Similarly, the lone postal ballot received by the election authorities, was rejected on grounds that the voter would be identified. So pronounced and convincing was Sardinhas victory that the Congress led over the BJP in all the 21 Assembly segments of South Goa, except in Priol, Madkai and Sanguem. While the Congress-NCP combine held on to its areas of influence, and even fared better in segments not represented by the two parties, the BJP fort crumbled in segments like Mormugao, Fatorda, Shiroda, Canacona and Poinguinim. That Sardinha was heading towards a facile victory became evident in Round I itself when votes in the segments of Mormugao, Curtorim, Loutolim, Ponda and Sanvordem were taken up for counting. BJPs hopes of putting up a commendable show in Mormugao and Vasco, besides coming close to the Congress in Cortalim, evaporated after the Congress gained a substantial lead of 4000-odd votes in these segments. Making matters worse was the fact that the BJP could not garner the anticipated votes in minority-dominated areas of Salcete. The saffron party even suffered reverses in both Fatorda and Margao and could only manage a slender lead in Ponda Taluka. But the Congress put up a good show in Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona talukas considered the BJP strongholds. Of the six Assembly segments in these three talukas, the BJP could lead over the Congress only in Sanguem with a 1001-vote margin while trailing behind in Sanvordem, Curchorem, Quepem, Canacona and Poinguinim. For the first time, the Congress margin crossed the 2000-mark in Quepem constituency despite good work put in by BJP workers. On the other hand, the so-called Churchill or SGF factor and the active campaigning by Matanhy Saldanha, besides the concealed or open sabotage by Congress leaders, including ministers, could not deny Sardinha a massive victory. Again, proving all pre-poll calculations wrong, Sardinha secured his highest lead of 6725 votes in his home segment of Curtorim, from where the MP-elect had tasted defeat in the June 2 Assembly poll. Velim gave the Congress candidate the second-highest lead of 4470 votes, followed by Cortalim (3393), Margao (3270) and Cuncolim (3255). http://oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=3783&cid=2 Sanny de Quepem <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com