MELVYN MISQUITA
PANAJI
When the Congress party emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats at the Assembly elections in 2017, not many would have predicted that the BJP would turn the tables and emerge as the single largest party with 17 seats barely two years later.
Such has been the twists and turns in Goa’s political landscape, that 14 key events after the 2017 assembly polls radically and dramatically transformed the political equations, leaving BJP ahead of the Congress with 17 legislators, despite the demise of its two sitting legislators and senior-most party leaders.
When the Assembly elections for the 40 seats were conducted, the Congress was the single largest party with 17 seats, followed by the BJP (13), MGP (3), Goa Forward Party (3), Independents (3) and NCP (1).
At the time, it was considered a major setback for the BJP and the mandate appeared to be against the party. Despite this setback, the BJP formed the government after a decisive alliance with the GFP, the MGP and independents and since then political changes have take place at a steady pace.
On March 16, 2017, Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane resigned from the Congress and the party was down to 16 seats.
Two months later, Sidharth resigned as Panaji MLA on May 10 to make way for late Manohar Parrikar, who resigned as Union defence minister, to contest the Panaji bypoll, leaving the BJP with 12 MLAs.
By August 28, 2017, the BJP’s tally jumped to 14 MLAs when both Rane and Parrikar won the Valpoi and Panaji bypolls respectively.
In a sudden turn of events, Mandrem MLA Dayanand Sopte and Shiroda MLA Subhash Shirodkar resigned from the Congress on October 16, 2018, leaving the Congress and the BJP now tied with 14 MLAs apiece.
The Congress returned to its position as the single largest party, albeit in unusual circumstances, when Mapusa MLA Francis D’Souza passed away on February 14 and then chief minister Manohar Parrikar passed away on March 17. The BJP was now reduced to 12 MLAs, while the Congress had 14 MLAs.
In yet another major political twist, Pernem MLA Babu Ajgaonkar and Sanvordem MLA Deepak Pauskar left the MGP on March 27 and joined the BJP. This left the Congress and the BJP tied for the second time with 14 MLAs apiece, but the MGP was now reduced to 1 MLA.
When results of the four bypolls were declared on Thursday, Babush Monserrate won the Panaji bypoll and the Congress took the lead as the single largest party with 15 MLAs, but it was only for a few hours. By afternoon, the BJP took the lead for the first time in two years when Joshua D’Souza won the Mapusa bypoll, Sopte won the Mandrem bypoll and Shirodkar won the Shiroda bypoll.
The Congress was now left with 15 MLAs, but the BJP had increased its tally to 17 MLAs, the same number that the Congress initially had in the 2017 Assembly elections.
Over the past two years, the State has witnessed the assembly elections and six bypolls at Valpoi, Panaji (2017), Shiroda, Mandrem, Mapusa and Panaji (2019).
During this period, three MLAs (Vishwajit Rane, Dayanand Sopte and Subhash Shirodkar) left the Congress, two MLAs (Babu Ajgaonkar and Deepak Pauskar) left the MGP and two legislators (Francis D’Souza and Manohar Parrikar) passed away.
Panaji has witnessed three different MLAs, Sidharth Kuncolienkar, late Manohar Parrikar and Babush Monserrate.
Of the six bypolls, three MLAs, (Vishwajit Rane, Dayanand Sopte, Subhash Shirodkar) retained their seats, while one (Sidharth Kuncolienkar) lost. One former MLA (Babush Monserrate) returned to power in the bypoll, while Joshua D’Souza won the bypoll to become the first-time MLA.
With the BJP now confident that two more MLAs are likely to join the party in the near future, there could be a further twist to the political equations in the State.
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