PANAJI
Political parties have been planning post-poll alliances and they are justified in doing so, given the trend of fractured mandates at assembly elections in the State.
Of the 13 previous assembly elections conducted in the State thus far, political parties were unable to secure a majority of their own on seven occasions.
In eight of these elections, the government was formed by two or more parties coming together.
In the 1977 and 1989 elections, there was an interesting situation as the party which bagged the highest seats at these elections was just one MLA short of achieving a majority.
After Liberation, the first assembly election was conducted for 30 constituencies in 1963. The MGP secured 14 seats and despite failing to secure a majority, Dayanand Bandodkar was elected as chief minister.
The MGP, however, secured a majority in 1967 (16 seats) and 1972 (18 seats), while in the 1977 assembly polls, the MGP bagged 15 seats and had the support of one MLA to form the government.
It was the turn of the Congress to claim a majority in the 1980 and 1984 elections, after it secured 20 seats and 18 seats respectively.
In 1989, the number of constituencies was increased to 40 seats and the Congress won 20 seats and formed the government with the help of independent candidates.
Since then, a party has been able to secure a clear mandate on only two more occasions.
In the 1999 elections, the Congress won 21 seats while the BJP bagged 21 seats in the 2012 elections.
Fractured mandates were witnessed in 1994 when the Congress got 18 seats, and the BJP secured 17 in 2002.
