New Delhi: It’s a hung Assembly in Goa as Congress-NCP combine fell just two seats short of an absolute majority, but it is likely to form the government.
Party insiders told CNN-IBN that Congress will stake claim to form the government in Goa as it has the support of two independents.
Congress-NCP combine secured early advantage to the 40-member Goa Assembly on Tuesday to decide the next government in the state, which has experienced political instability with as many as 15 governments in the last 17 years.
Counting is being held at three different stations spread across two districts. Two counting stations are in Panaji while one in Margao (south Goa).
In all, 202 candidates, including 49 independents, were in the fray for the election that was held on June 2.
Former Goa chief minister and BJP's chief ministerial candidate Manohar Parrikar defeated his lone rival Dinar Tarcar of Congress by a margin of 1,444 votes.
Parrikar described his victory from the Panaji Assembly constituency for the fourth consecutive term as the “victory of people's power over money power.”
A jubilant Parrikar said that the people of Panaji had recognised the development works he had carried out in the constituency.
The surprise defeat was that of Speaker of the Goa Assembly Franciso Sardinha of the Congress, who was defeated by rebel candidate from Save Goa Front, Alexio Louraco in Curtorim constituency.
Meanwhile, Goa Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Wilfred D'Souza lost to BJP candidate Dilip Parulekar in Saligao seat.
Following are some of the key winners in the Goa Assembly elections:
- Damu Naik (BJP) retains Fatorda, defeats Vijay Sardesai (Cong), by 1,771
- Mahadev Naik (BJP) defeats Subash Shirodkar (Cong) in Shiroda
- Babu Kavlekar (Cong) retains Quepem
- Vasudev Gaonkar (BJP) wins Sanguem
- Vishwajeet Rane (Ind) wins in Valpoi
- Anant Shet (BJP) wins Mayem
- Francisco D'Souza (BJP) retains Mapusa
- Babush Monseratte (UGDP) retains Taleigao
- Dipak Dhavalikar (MGP) wins by 4,325 votes in Priol
- Churchill Alemao (Save Goa) defeats Luizinho Faleiro (Cong) by 4,504 in Navelim
- Pratapsinh Rane (Cong) wins Poriem seat by 3,196 votes
- Micky Pacheco (NCP) retains Benaulim
- Sudin Dahvalikar (MGP) retains Maraim
- BJP leader Laxmikant Parsekar wins Mandrem seat by 1,710 votes
- Filipe Nery Rodrigues (Congress) wins Velim seat by 2,732 votes
- Vijay Pai Khot (BJP) wins Canacona by 709 votes
- Alexio Sequeira (Loutolim) wins
- Manohar Parrikar (BJP) wins Panaji by 1,500
- Digambar Kamat wins Margao
- Filip Neri (Cong) wins Velim by 2,754 votes
- Francis Silveira wins St Andre
- Laxmikant Parsekar (BJP) wins Mandrem seat
- Milind Naik (BJP) elected in Mormugao
Congress-NCP combine contested 38 seats, BJP 33, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) 26, Communist Party of India four, Goa Suraj Party one, Janata Dal (S) 12, Republican Party of India (A) four, United Goans Democratic Party 11, Shiv Sena seven and former Congress MP Churchill Alemao led Save Goa Front 17 seats.
BJP raring to go
The Opposition BJP has been in a buoyant mood after victories in Assembly polls in Uttarakhand and Punjab as well as the civic elections in Delhi.
BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy, in-charge of party affairs in the state, had said in April that Goa cannot remain an "island" and would be in tune with the "national mood".
The present Pratapsinh Rane government had been facing flak in the wake of the controversial Goa Regional Plan 2011, which was later denotified following months of rallies and protests by civic groups, professionals and artists against the plan which they said would destroy the state’s ecology and turn it into a concrete jungle.
The project had visualised the development of commercials buildings and hotels in the state's forested areas.
Atanasio Monserrate had quit as the Town and Country Planning Minister after facing severe criticism for the plan.
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