Margao: With the 2027 assembly elections still months away, two Congress members in South Goa have begun building their constituencies, albeit with different approaches and little clarity on the roles the party has in mind for them.Elvis Gomes has taken the more visible route in Cuncolim, putting up posters and reaching out to voters door to door. In Curchorem, former GPCC president Amit Patkar has opted for a quieter approach, organising free health camps and launching an outreach initiative for women. Both are understood to feel sidelined by the party.Elvis, who made his political debut as AAP’s chief ministerial candidate in 2017, finished fourth in Cuncolim. He later joined Congress, but the party denied him the Cuncolim ticket in 2022, allotting it to Yuri Alemao instead. Elvis was fielded from Panaji, where he finished a distant third. He is now hoping to contest Cuncolim, currently represented by Alemao, and maintains that he continues to be a Congress member.A source close to Elvis acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding his prospects. “It is foolhardy to think that Congress will give Elvis the Cuncolim ticket when Yuri is not only the sitting MLA but also the leader of the opposition,” the source said.“It is also obvious that he has been crassly sidelined by his party. He didn’t even participate in the Goy Rakhonn Yatra in Cuncolim; I doubt if he was even invited to it,” the source added.Undeterred, Elvis has continued his grassroots outreach, holding meetings with motorcycle, rickshaw and pickup associations, as well as members of the Chitari community of traditional artists and craftspeople. At these meetings, he has outlined his vision and sought support for his candidature.Patkar, meanwhile, had indicated after stepping down as GPCC president that he would devote more time to Curchorem, where he lost the 2022 election “by a whisker”. His free health and eye camp is currently under way in the constituency.He has also launched ‘Sangini’, an initiative aimed at helping women turn their skills into livelihoods, promoting health and financial independence, and providing support to those facing injustice.The early mobilisation by the two comes at a time when Congress is yet to finalise its electoral partnerships. Seat-sharing talks with Revolutionary Goans remain inconclusive, while the party’s relationship with Goa Forward Party is also uncertain.“With the shape of the alliance and the list of seats undecided, aspirants have little reason to wait for a signal from the party. A member who waits risks being told the seat has gone to an ally. One who starts early at least has something to show when the list is drawn,” a political observer said.“The real test will come when tickets are decided. Congress will have to decide whether it sees Patkar, Elvis and the likes as assets or otherwise,” the observer added.
