Goa election results: MGP, GFP hold card as BJP, Cong fall short of majority

Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who failed to retain his assembly seat, resigned after failing to steer his party BJP to victory.

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Goa results: Congress won 17 seats, BJP 13, GFP 3, MGP 3, Others 3, NCP 1

With no political party able to secure a clear majority, different post-poll alliances are on card in Goa. In the 40-member Assembly, Congress won 17 seats while 13 went to the ruling BJP followed by three seats each to MGP, GFP and others, and one to NCP. Interestingly, the Aam Aadmi party that was hopeful of forming government in the state, failed to open its account. Now, the decision on who comes to power now wrests with two key parties – the MGP and the Goa Forward Party.

Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who failed to retain his assembly seat, resigned after failing to steer his party BJP to victory. He submitted his resignation to Governor Mridula Sinha as results indicated that BJP would fall well short of halfway mark.

Parsekar, who became the chief minister after Manohar Parrikar was moved to the Centre as defence minister in November 2014, lost from Madrem constituency to Congress candidate Dayanand Sopte by over 7,000 votes.

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Most of the ministers in the Parsekar cabinet also faced humiliating defeat. Six of the eight ministers who were in the fray lost the polls to their rivals, adding to the poor performance of the BJP, which in 2012 emerged victorious in the coastal state securing a simple majority on its own. In a big setback for the BJP, its senior leader and Forest Minister Rajendra Arlekar lost to MGP’s Manohar Asgaonkar in Pernem constituency.

The BJP, however, managed to retain Panaji, the former constituency of Parrikar who has represented the seat since 1994 or for the last five terms. Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate won 6855 votes while Kuncalienkar won 7924 votes. The Congress Party did not contest in Panaji.

The newly-formed Goa Forward Party dealt a double blow to the BJP as its candidates unseated two senior ministers in the outgoing cabinet. While in Siolim, Water Resources Minister Dayanand Mandrekar was defeated by GFP’s candidate Vinod Palyekar in Saligao constituency Tourism minister Dilip Parulekar lost to Jayesh Salgaoncar, also from the regional outfit.

State Industries Minister Mahadev Naik was defeated by Congress’s Subhash Shirodkar in Shiroda constituency. Another prominent loser was MGP’s Dipak Dhavalikar, who was sacked from the cabinet before the polls after his party severed its ties with the BJP, just ahead of the elections. Dhavalikar lost to Independent candidate Govind Gawade who was backed by BJP in Priol constituency.

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Meanwhile, as the state witnessed a hung Assembly, the Congress said said it will seek support from like-minded parties to muster a majority and form the next government. “We will not mind approaching like-minded parties such as Goa Forward if we require additional numbers to form the next government,” AICC general secretary in-charge of Goa affairs Digvijay Singh told reporters.

Goa Forward chief spokesman Prashant Naik said the party has kept all its options open. With three seats in its pocket, the regional party has become crucial in the formation of next government. The party is being wooed by BJP too. Michael Lobo of BJP, who has been elected from Calangute constituency, told reporters he has already met Goa Forward leader Vijai Sardesai. If required, the party will take his support to form
the next government, he said.