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Lower turnout in South Goa mining belt could hit Congress

MARGAO: While the hinterland areas of South Goa registered high polling figures on Tuesday, they were markedly lower than those of 2014. While the BJP has reasons to breathe easy, political observers feel that lower turnout is an indication that the Congress failed to put in hard work in these areas.


In the mining belt of Sanvordem, Curchorem, Sanguem and Quepem , the resentment of the voters against the ruling party hardly appears to have reflected in the voting pattern.

Sample these figures: While Sanvordem which had given BJP the highest lead of almost 12,000 votes in 2014, it registered a turnout of 79.8% on Tuesday as against 82.3% back then. In Curchorem, the polling figures plunged to 78.5% on Tuesday from 79.7% in 2014. Both these assembly segments are represented by BJP MLAs – Sanvordem by PWD minister Deepak Pauskar who defected from the MGP ahead of the polls, and Curchorem by power minister Nilesh Cabral. Sanguem, which had polled 82.3% in 2014 saw the turnout slid to 78.6 % on Tuesday. While Sanguem is represented by independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar, the BJP campaign was led by former MLA Subhash Phal Dessai in this constituency. Polling figures also plunged in Quepem, represented by leader of opposition, Chandrakant Kavlekar, where 78.5 % voter turnout was registered as against 79.7% in 2014.

Political observers are of the view that considering that this belt is a stronghold of the BJP, the relatively lower turnout could be attributed to the waning of the Modi wave, apart from the fact that many people from remote areas of this belt are engaged in cashew plucking activities, a seasonal occupation. Political observers feel that the Congress has largely failed to capitalise on the resentment simmering in the mining belt against the ruling party.

“It will be foolhardy to expect that the low turnout would go in favour of the Congress, especially as the party was found wanting in capitalizing on the mining issue in the mining belt – it may have made noises elsewhere but in the mining belt, the party failed to provide any sense of reassurance to the mining affected,” a political observer said.

In politically volatile Ponda taluka, political observers say though polling figures went down from an average 79.7% in 2014 to 78% on Tuesday, BJP could find itself in good stead, despite having severed its ties with MGP. The MGP is believed to have significant dominance in Ponda, Shiroda and Madkai.

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