The 2012 elections were a turning point for politics in the State especially for the Congress. The once dominant party was reduced virtually to an also ran despite having governed for seven years just previously. The reasons for defeat were plenty – family raj, corruption, arrogance, not allowing youth to come up.
Political families dominated and snared tickets in the Congress and the coalition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for their relatives and friends as the electorate watched in disbelief.
It was the Alemaos in the South and the Ranes in the North and the Monserrates in Tiswadi. They not only ensured tickets for their kith and kin, but also saw that their close friends and ‘supporters’ got tickets so as to – what they assumed and hoped – to assert control when they returned to power.
Churchill Alemao contested in Navelim and clinched the Congress nomination for his daughter Valanka in Benaulim. His brother Joaquim was the candidate in Cuncolim and his son Yuri got the NCP ticket in Sanguem.
Monserrate fought for and shifted to St Cruz constituency while his wife was given the party ticket in Taleigao. Pratapsing Rane (Poriem) and his son Vishwajit (Valpoi) literally cornered the North Goa block including Bicholim for candidates of their choice. In the race were also Ritesh and Roy, sons of Home Minister Ravi Naik.
In the previous election in 2007 the Congress had contested 34 seats and the NCP 6. The Congress had won 16, the NCP 3, the BJP 14, Save Goa Front 2 and the MGP 2. In 2012 the Congress was reduced to 9 seats and the BJP got a majority all of its own.
The MGP managed to do one better in 2017 as it switched alliances this time tying up with the BJP to fight the elections.
