CM Parsekar faces four-cornered battle

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar’s constituency of Mandrem in north Goa is also known as mini-Russia, owing to the fascination of Russian tourists for this sandy stretch. Mandrem will witness a four-cornered battle between BJP’s Parsekar (60), a former school headmaster, and candidates fielded by the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Congress and the AAP.

Political experts claim this is a close contest with no clear indication of which way the seawind is likely to blow on February 4, when the coastal state goes to polls. “I am confident that I will win with a margin bigger than last time,” Parsekar told DH on Monday. The chief minister won with a margin of around 3,500 votes in 2012.

Mandrem became a major tourism destination, only over the last decade and a half, with its beaches Morjim, Arambol and Ashwen hosting thousands of domestic and international tourists. But behind the shimmering tourism prowess, there are problems, including poor roads in the interiors and paucity of water supply, something which Parsekar acknowledges.

“We have a new Electronic City coming up in my constituency. We are building a new water treatment plant for it, which will help provide 24x7 water supply for Mandrem,” Parsekar said. But his opponents are not in a mood to be humoured by such promises. Parsekar’s rivals are Shripad Mandrekar of the MGP, which is in alliance with the Goa Suraksha Manch, Dayanand Sopte of the Congress and Devendra Prabhudessai of the AAP. Mandrekar is a former zilla panchayat member from Mandrem and his wife is a sitting member.