QUEPEM: A lead of only 17,392 votes in the four assembly constituencies of Quepem and Sanguem talukas which are considered to be Bharatiya Janata Party strongholds resulted in its candidate losing the Lok Sabha elections.
BJP needed a significant lead in these two talukas to off set the setback it received in Salcete. However, it fell way short of the desired lead.
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The BJP polled around 25,000 votes in Quepem and Curchorem assembly constituencies of Quepem taluka.
The Congress polled over 22,000 votes in these two assembly segments. But what is notable is that in Quepem that is represented by a Congress MLA, its candidate got a lead of 784 votes while in neighbouring Curchorem, former minister Nilesh Cabral could give BJP a lead of only 1,777.
BJP workers in the taluka were apparently not satisfied with the candidate who they felt was “a new face” forced upon them and senior party workers were also disgruntled as new entrants, more particularly those who defected from other parties, were favoured by party leadership.
Another factor that worked against the BJP was the denial of the ticket to Chandrakant alias Babu Kavlekar who represted Quepem earlier and was reportedly promised the ticket and had even begun canvassing.
Besides, there was an anti-BJP sentiment in South Goa as people felt it was engineering defections thereby promoting corruption, said one BJP worker who did not want to be named.
Some people opined that the votes polled by Revolutionary Goans Party at the Assembly elections went to Congress at these elections.
