BJP SUFFERS HEAVY SETBACK IN VALPOI SATARI

PANJIM: Is it the end of road for BJP in Satari? Re-election of Vishwajeet Rane with huge margin from Valpoi constituency today has completely put the BJP on backburner in Satari taluka.  Poriem constituency in Satari taluka has always been the stronghold of the Congress Party with Pratapsing Rane still maintaining his hold.

But it was a different story in Valpoi -- BJP made its presence felt in Valpoi when it defeated the Congress candidate in 1994.  Though it was not able to repeat its performance in 1999 election, BJP’s losing candidate Narhari Aldoncar polled 3323 votes as against Congress candidate Venkatesh (Banddu) Desai who polled 4177 votes.

The BJP made a comeback in 2002 when Narhari Aldoncar defeated Congress candidate Venkatesh Dessai by 352 votes. Though the margin of victory was very slim, nevertheless it was a victory for BJP as it wrested the seat from Congress Party.

But BJP’s downfall in Valpoi started in 2007 when its candidate Puti Gaonkar lost to Vishwajeet Rane who contested as an independent after Congress Party refused him the ticket.

Rane polled 8950 votes whereas Gaonkar managed 5401 and BJP lost Valpoi seat with a margin of 3549 votes. After maintaining his independent status for almost three years, recently, Rane joined Congress Party but resigned as an MLA to re-contest on Congress ticket from Valpoi.

Though Rane’s victory in this by-election was a foregone conclusion, but it has come as a rude shock for BJP with massive fall in its vote share indicating its wipe out from Valpoi constituency with the emergence of “Baba factor.”

Rane has won Valpoi seat with almost double margin -- he polled 11642 votes and got a lead of 8405 votes whereas Santosh managed to poll only 3237 votes. Rane also got lead in all 31 polling booths.

With Rane strengthening his position in Valpoi by assuring employment and development to his electorate -- there is little or no hope for BJP to re-establish its position in Valpoi in near future by highlighting alleged corrupt practices of Vishwajeet Rane. It looks like Satari is lost for BJP for next assembly election due in 2011. (HD)