PANJIM: History repeated itself five-years down the line, as Goan voters rejected 19 candidates, whom they had voted to power in 2017 election. Of these 19, 11 were sitting MLAs at time of going for the polls on February 14, while eight had resigned few weeks before the elections.
Dejected voters, however, elected 19 new faces in the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly with parties like Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Revolutionary Goans (RG) opening up their account by winning two and one seat, respectively. The list also includes eight first time MLAs from Congress party, five BJP, two IND and one MGP.
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Deputy Chief Ministers – Chandrakant Kavlekar and Manohar Ajgaonkar, Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly Rajesh Patnekar, ex-Deputy Speaker Isidore Fernandes, former minister Deepak Pauskar were among the prominent leaders, holding the highest posts, who faced defeat. Fernandes and Pauskar had resigned from BJP after party denied them ticket and contested as Independent. Moreover, Goa Forward Party’s former Saligao MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar, who lost to Congress’ Kedar Naik, was inducted into saffron fold, just month before election, citing his winnability in the constituency.
The others who lost include Glen Ticlo, Milind Naik, Francis Silveira, Tony Fernandes, Dayanand Sopte, Clafasio Dias – all who contested on BJP ticket. While Alina Saldanha and Filip Neri Rodrigues- former BJP – contested on AAP and NCP symbol, BJP’s former colleague Pravin Zantye and Carlos Almeida contested on MGP and Congress ticket respectively.
BJP’s Wilfred D’Sa contested Independent, so also GFP’s Vinod Palyekar. Ex NCP MLA Churchill Alemao had contested on TMC ticket.
The 19 new faces include BJP’s Ulhas Tuenkar (Navelim), AAP’s Venzy Viegas (Benaulim), Sankalp Amonkar (Mormugao), MGP’s Jit Vinayak Arolkar (Mandrem), BJP’s Pravin Arlekar (Pernem), Independent Dr Chandrakant Shetye (Bicholim), Congress Delilah Lobo (Siolim), Congress Kedar Naik (Saligao), Congress Carlos Fereira (Aldona), Congress Rodolfo Fernandes (St Cruz), RG Viresh Borkar (St Andre), Congress Rajesh Faldessai (Cumbharjua), BJP’s Premendra Shet (Mayem), BJP’s Deviya Rane (Poreim), Congress Sankalp Amonkar (Mormugao), BJP’s Krishna Salkar (Vasco), Independent Antonio Vas (Cortalim), Congress Alemao Yuri (Cuncolim), AAP Cruz Silva (Velim), Congress Altone D’Costa (Quepem).
This is not the first time, in the last Assembly election held in 2017, as many as 19 MLAs lost with some being considered political strongmen or leaders of stature.
Topmost in the list of 2017 losers were Laxmikant Parsekar who was chief minister going into the election, current Himachal Pradesh Governor, Rajendra Arlekar, Dayanand Mandrekar and Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate.
