PANAJI
When it was formed, not many had taken the Revolutionary Goans seriously and it had even struggled to get its party registered but the party staged a revolution of sorts by winning one seat in the assembly and getting 31 of its candidates to poll over 1,000 votes apiece.
Significantly, the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) secured the third-highest vote share (92,454 votes) in the State with 9.96% of the total votes, having secured 47,727 votes in North Goa and 44,530 votes in South Goa.
The RGP came just after the BJP (34.24%) and Congress (23.9%), even dethroning the MGP (7.78%), AAP (6.91%) and TMC (5.33%) in terms of vote share in the State.
The RGP secured the St Andre constituency with its candidate Viresh Borkar emerging victorious and made a significant impact in almost 50 per cent of constituencies, acting as the main opposition and splitting votes in many of these constituencies.
RGP were the runners-up in two constituencies with RGP supremo Manoj Parab polling 6,377 votes in the Valpoi constituency and its candidate Arvind D’Costa securing 3,358 votes in Nuvem constituency.
RGP candidates came a respectable third in 14 constituencies and gained substantial votes in several constituencies.
Besides, 31 of its 38 candidates secured over 1,000 votes apiece and RGP supremo Manoj Parab even had the rare distinction of polling 11,316 votes in two constituencies, 6,377 votes in Valpoi constituency and 4,959 votes in Tivim constituency.
The RGP candidates who performed relatively well in the elections were Sunaina Gawade in Mandrem (1,211 votes), Sujay Mhapsekar in Pernem (2,755 votes), Manoj Parab in Tivim (4,959 votes), Gauresh Mandrekar Siolim (3,143 votes), Rohan Kalangutkar in Saligao (1,888 votes), Marcelino Gonsalves in Calangute (2,538 votes), Joseph Roncon in Taleigao (1,651 votes), Ajay Kholkar in St Cruz (2,497 votes), Viresh Borkar in St Andre (4,894 votes), Chagan Naik in Cumbarjua (2,116 votes), Shrikrishna Parab in Mayem (3,993 votes), Sameer Satarkar in Poriem (3,513 votes), Manoj Parab in Valpoi (6,377 votes), Vishvesh Naik in Priol (2,517 votes), Sanish Tilve in Ponda (1,770 votes), Shailesh Naik in Shiroda (5,063 votes), Premanand Gaude in Marcaim (3,488 votes), Gajanan Borkar in Dabolim (1,129 votes), Teotonio Costa in Cortalim (2,480 votes), Arvind D’Costa in Nuvem (3,358 votes), Rubert Pereira in Curtorim (3,479 votes), Valerie Fernandes in Fatorda (1,505 votes), Desmond Fernandes in Benaulim (3,854 votes), Wilson Peter Cardozo in Cuncolim (2,226 votes), Dagley Fernandes in Velim (3,653 votes), Aditya Raut Desai in Curchorem (2103 votes), Sunil Goankar in Sanguem (1,500 votes), Bento Da Silva in Navelim (2,086 votes), Prashant Pagi in Canacona (1,599 votes), Vishal Desai in Quepem (1,144 votes) and Vipin Naik in Sanvordem (2,135 votes).
"We have won without any money power and muscle power. We have given a befitting reply to those tried to demoralise us that our young candidates will never win seats," said Viresh Borkar after winning the election in St Andre constituency.
“We will act as a good opposition and will raise the voice of Goans in the assembly,” he added.
