The Fight Of The Veterans: Congress’ Ramakant Khalap Vs Five-Time BJP MP Shripad Naik In North Goa (image-Facebook/Ramakant Khalap)

The North Goa Lok Sabha seat will witness a political clash between 77-year-old Khalap and 71-year-old five-time BJP MP Shripad Naik. Naik has been winning the constituency for the BJP for the past 25 years. Interestingly, among the veterans in the fight is 38-year-old Manoj Parab from the Revolutionary Goans Party, who believes he can be the voice of Goa.

Some of the primary issues for the people are the preservation of the environment and land for the coming generations, the protection of the Mhadei, and unemployment.

Recently, Khalap attacked the BJP-led government both in the state and the centre over its false promise of providing jobs at the Manohar International Airport in Mopa, Pernam. He accused the government of failing to implement the provision at the grassroots level. Slamming state Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the Congress leader alleged that Sawant prioritised job opportunities for residents of Sankelim, the constituency of the CM, over the people of Pernem.

The Congress candidate also highlighted the need for Goans to become shareholders of the land in Goa instead of allowing corporations acquiring them and selling it to outsiders.

However, breaching the BJP fortress is significantly tough. The saffron party represents the majority of the assembly seats and has a strong ground presence. Although Khalap is a seasoned politician in both parliamentary and assembly elections, his two-decade hiatus after a Lok Sabha defeat in 1999 could harm his chances of a victory this time.

Yet Khalap is confident. “This is my easiest election. If Khalap couldn’t defeat me in 1999, when I was just a rookie, what can he do now?” he said, as quoted by the Times of India.

Khalap was elected as the MP from North Goa on the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) ticket from 1996 to 1998. He served as the Union Minister of State for Law in Rajiv Gandhi’s cabinet before leaving MGP to join Congress. A lawyer by profession, Khalap contributed to the Arbitration Act of India and drafted amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedures and the Code of Civil Procedure of India. Notably, Khalap also introduced the Women’s Reservation Bill in parliament.

The North Goa Lok Sabha constituency comprises 20 Vidhan Sabhas such as Panaji, Mapusa, Valpoi, Santa Cruz, Mandrem, and St. Andre, among others.