Keen contest expected in Shiroda assembly by-election in Goa

The April 23 Assembly by-poll for Shiroda in Goa has become a prestige battle for the three prominent political parties in the state -- the ruling BJP, its estranged ally MGP and opposition Congress. The seat fell vacant after MLA Subhash Shirodkar quit the Congress to join the BJP in October 2018.

Shirodkar is now contesting the election on BJP ticket against Congress' Mahadev Naik and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party's (MGP) Deepak Dhavalikar. Dhavalikar filed nomination for the by-election despite his party being part of the BJP-led ruling coalition, straining the ties between the two allies.

The constituency in North Goa district with around 30,000 voters was a Congress stronghold till 2007, after which it went to the BJP. Congress' Shirodkar won it back in 2017 against Naik, who was then with the BJP.

"I am approaching people with assurance that I will usher in a second phase of development," Shirodkar told PTI while on campaign trail. Shirodkar, who has been representing the constituency for as long as 24 years barring the gap of ten years between 2007 to 2017, claimed it was one of the most under-developed areas when he was first elected.

"Basic amenities like water and electricity were lacking. Now the situation is different," he said. To the criticism that he forced a premature election, he said he joined the BJP because he knew only that party could bring in development.

State Congress chief Girish Chodankar said Shirodkar had betrayed the faith of voters. "The voters will react in a big way this time," he said. Chodankar was instrumental in persuading former BJP MLA Mahadev Naik to join the Congress.

Dhavalikar said he was in the fray to defeat Shirodkar. "Let the leaders who force mid-term election realise that they are defeated if they play with sentiments of people," Dhavalikar said.

The BJP has planned two big rallies in the constituency, to be addressed by Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, respectively, ahead of the election..

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)