Cong-BJP field mining businessmen as candidates

GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 21 February 2012 12:46 IST

The Congress and the BJP may differ on minor issues, but not on mining issue. In fact both parties have fielded mining business related candidates in mine operated constituencies.

The candidates filed by both the parties in at least four mine-operated constituencies belong to  the mining business.

Sanguem, Curchorem, Sanvordem and Bicholim are the four prominent constituencies where important party candidates are involved in mining business.

Yuri Alemao, son of urban development minister Joaquim Alemao, represents his father’s mining business of a mining contractor. They have a mining company – Raisa Mining. He is the NCP candidate.

Crossing swords against him is BJP’s Subhash Faldesai, a mining transport contractor. He was even the president of the Mining Truck Owners’ Association.

To accommodate Faldesai, the BJP declined ticket to two-time MLA Vasudev Meng Gaonkar.

Both – Congress MLA Shyam Satardekar and BJP candidate Nilesh Cabral – in Curchorem are transport contractors in mining industry.

In fact the Curchorem BJP workers are upset with the party leadership for fielding a mining businessman, sidelining loyal cadre.

Sanvordem is another adjoining constituency, which was represented by Goa’s prominent mine owner Anil Salgaoncar, as an independent MLA.

His son Arjun Salgaoncar is presently contesting as independent candidate.

The BJP, after frequent confabulations, fielded Ganesh Gaonkar in Sanvordem. He is a mining transporter.

The Congress chose Govind Sawant as its candidate in Sanvordem last minute. He is also a big-time transport contractor.

In Bicholim, the BJP rejected the proposal of giving ticket to Naresh Sawal, who lost the Congress ticket to erstwhile BJP MLA Rajesh Patnekar.

The BJP ticket went to Manohar Shirodkar, a non-practicing lawyer, presently involved in mining-related business, say the locals.

Patnekar, on the other hand, is known for his close relations with several mining companies in the vicinity.

Pratap Gawas, Congress candidate and the MLA, also owns barges and trucks used for ore transportation.

Similarly, chief minister Digambar Kamat, health minister Vishwajeet Rane, urban development minister Joaquim Alemao and GPCC president Subhash Shirodkar, presently contesting from Shiroda, are well known for having close links with mining business.

In addition, Dinar Tarcar, another mine owner is contesting from St Cruz on MGP ticket, crossing swords with education minister Babush Monseratte.

Similarly, Sameer Salgaoncar, elder son of Anil Salgaoncar, is contesting on Trinamool Congress ticket from Mandrem.

Cumbarjua independent candidate Nirmala Sawant, who has been supported by almost all the non-Congress parties including the BJP, also runs a barge building company, which cannot run without mining business.

Interestingly, both the Congress and the BJP have unanimity in their respective manifestos, in case of mining activity.

Both have supported legal mining and have assured to strengthen infrastructure required to regulate mining business by minimizing environmental destruction and human loss due to narrow roads etc.

Both have assured to create mining corridor in the mining areas while also assuring to utilize ore-related revenue to develop infrastructure in the mining areas.


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Previous Comments

BJP is communal. If they promote Regional language as MOI, they should also assure and include in their manifesto 30% GOVT jobs reservation to match population ratio for catholic community, which currently is only 7%.

- Goa for Goans, Goa | 22 nd February 2012 15:13

 

The exploitation of the Natural resources has generated thousands of crores rupees and due amount has not gone to the State coffers but found it's way in the pockets of a few. The Elections have been allowed to degenerate where the money and muscle power are amply used to garner votes, The system which was supposed to operate on ideologies, values, principles--no more remains so. Even some of the arrogant power addicts are busy planning as to how to clip the wings of the Election Commission. Under these harsh realities---is it a wonder to find the Mining related people contesting elections?

- vishwas prabhudesai, loliem | 22 nd February 2012 10:50

 

No surprise there. All including ruling and opposition candidates are sons of the same soil which contains iron, manganese, boxite etc. amongst other nutrients. So iron and manganese will always attract iron and manganese. The rejects are the rest of the Goans. it would be interesting to see how many times the miners themselves have changed their political parties.

- Kalidas Laxman, Panaji Goa | 21 st February 2012 18:11

 

India rulling Nehru Family since then, Now Congress family run Goa but short time. All criminal,and goonda

raj will prevail in Goa. So people must think and cast

their votes clean candidates not family or criminal in records.Ofcourse Congress have no place now in Goa all players are corrupt and criminal involved.Mr. Oscar who is congress charge in Goa are fool and blind he does not even open and see the records of the candidates about their background,Defeat congress,

BJP, NCP, GVP and Mamata parry because old doctor involved we learnt lot from doctor Willy when he is in

congress group now jump new party.

- Sanjay Kumar, Margao | 21 st February 2012 13:26

 

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