BJP-MGP combine ousts Congress in Goa

Cashing-in on the anti-incumbency factor in a big way, the BJP-MGP combine today rode to power in Goa, ousting the Congress and securing majority in a House of 40 members, nearly half of whom will be new faces.

While the BJP won in 21 assembly constituencies, seven more than last time, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party raised its tally from two in the last polls to three seats in the March 3 assembly election results for which were declared today.

The Congress, which had 16 seats last time, was reduced to nine seats with many of its stalwarts, including several ministers and Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Subhas Shirodkar, biting the dust. Its ally NCP, which had three seats last time, was wiped out.

Four members of influential Alemao family – Churchill, Joaquim, Valanka and Yuri, who were given tickets by Congress-NCP alliance lost.

Several ministers including Churchill Alemao, Joaquim Alemao, Manohar Asgaonkar, Nilkant Halarnkar, Jose Philip D’Soza, Filip Nery Rodrigues, Aleixo Sequira and Ravi Naik lost the elections.

So pronounced was the wind of change, that 19 new faces were elected this time.

Goa Vikas Party managed to win on two seats including Nuvem, where party supremo Miccky Pacheco emerged victorious, and Benaulim where its Caetan Silva managed to defeat Congress' Valanka Alemao.

Four of the five independents Benjamin Silva (Velim), Avertan Furtado (Navelim), Naresh Sawal (Bicholim) and Rohan Khaunte (Porvorim), wrested seats held by Congress, while Vijay Sardesai (Fatorda) snatched it from BJP.

Manohar Parrikar, who spearheaded the BJP's charge on the illegal mining issue and is tipped to be the next chief minister, won from Panaji, defeating Congress' Yatin Parekh by over 5,000 votes.