MARGAO
Several political heavyweights, including sitting BJP Minister Subhash Phal Dessai (Sanguem), former Minister Aleixo Sequeira (Nuvem), Congress MLA Altone D’Costa (Quepem), and former Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Chandrakant Kavlekar (Quepem), have come under sharp focus as the debate over Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservation of Assembly constituencies gathered momentum.
Besides these heavyweights, the issue has not only sparked political discussion but has also cast uncertainty over the future of several other seasoned and aspiring politicians eyeing the 2027 Assembly elections from the constituencies of Sanguem, Quepem and Nuvem.
Many say should these three constituencies be officially notified as ST-reserved seats, it would significantly alter the political landscape. Such a move would effectively bar Minister Subhash Phal Dessai, former Minister Aleixo Sequeira and Congress MLA Altone D’Costa from contesting the next Assembly elections from their respective constituencies.
The proposed reservation is particularly significant for Phal Dessai and D’Costa. While Phal Dessai is a senior BJP leader and Cabinet Minister, D’Costa is serving his first term as an MLA. Reservation of their constituencies could potentially cut short their political innings in these seats, raising questions about their future electoral prospects and whether they may be compelled to shift to alternative constituencies to remain in the electoral fray.
The development has also brought into focus the political future of several emerging leaders and aspirants who have been nurturing ambitions of contesting from these constituencies. With the reservation debate now taking centre stage, the eventual notification could trigger a major political realignment in South Goa ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.
