Battle lines are drawn in Fatorda as Damu Naik and Vijay Sardesai files nomination

Amid the nomination rush among all the political parties on Thursday, January 27, ahead of the Goa Assembly elections. BJP's Damodar (Damu) Naik and Goa Forward's Vijay Sardesai, who are pitted against each other for the fourth time in the Fatorda constituency, filed their respective nominations paper.

Vijai Sardesai expressed confidence that he will emerge victorious on the strength of the development. "It is more important to see how this anti-people BJP government will sit at home than to score a hat-trick in this election and I am sure that the alliance of Congress and Goa Forward will definitely do it," he said.

On the other hand, Damu Naik criticised Vijay Sardesai, claiming that the development that has taken place in Fatorda in the last 10 years was only a show of strength and the MLA had only resorted to bullying in the constituency. "People are annoyed with the MLA and when we go to campaign, it is definitely visible," he said.

In 2017 election, Vijai Sardesai won the Fatorda seat, defeating Damu Naik by 1334 votes. Later, he joined hands with the BJP party to form the government led by Manohar Parrikar and become the Deputy Chief Minister.

Goa Forward Party formed an alliance with Congress ahead of the upcoming Assembly election which will be held on February 14 and ballot will be counted on March 10.