TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
PORVORIM: Having once dominated the State’s political landscape with his ability to make and break governments, Dayanand Narvekar’s political career sunk to an all time low after cutting a sorry figure in the Lok Sabha polls.
Relegated to a dismal fifth from among seven candidates, and even beaten by NOTA (None of the Above) votes, the 64-yr-old ex-speaker and former deputy chief minister’s failed gamble to form a separate party and his dismal poll performance could signal the twilight of a career that spanned nearly four decades.
When the results of the Lok Sabha polls came in on Friday, Narvekar was left staring at the figures. Having polled a paltry 4128 votes (including 11 postal ballot votes), Narvekar was placed a low fifth from among seven candidates. Incidentally, even the NOTA votes (5770) were higher than Narvekar’s tally.
His best performance was in Aldona (1073), the only constituency in North Goa to give him four-figure votes. Porvorim came next with 415 votes, while his worst performance was in Panjim (53), followed by Taleigao (57).
His performance elsewhere in Bardez taluka, where he was once considered a political heavyweight, was equally dismal: Tivim (299), Mapusa (397), Siolim (319), Saligao (118), Calangute (67).
With the exception of Cumbharjua (135), Narvekar failed to even secure three-digit votes in Tiswadi taluka and was left with a handful of votes in Panjim (53), Taleigao (57), Santa Cruz (82) and St Andre (71).
Narvekar’s remaining votes were scattered in Pernem taluka (Mandrem-142 and Pernem-182), Bicholim taluka (Mayem-167, Bicholim-101 and Sanquelim-92), Sattari taluka (Poriem-138 and Valpoi-96) and Ponda taluka (Priol-113).
When contacted, Narvekar declined to comment on the reasons for his failure at the LS polls, but said he needed time to ponder on the results.
The sorry figures polled by Narvekar reduced him from a political giant to a virtual non-entity, something that could not have been imagined only two years ago.
Consider the various political roles he played during his three-and-half decade in politics: deputy chief minister, speaker, deputy opposition leader and minister of various portfolios including finance, irrigation, IT, law and judiciary, legislative Affairs, health and town and country planning.
Having entered the political arena in 1977, Dayanand Narvekar, a lawyer by qualification, joined the MGP and got elected as MLA of Tivim constituency. In 1980, he revolted against the MGP and joined the Congress party along with then Cuncolim MLA Dilkush Dessai.
Narvekar won the 1980 assembly polls from Tivim constituency and served as labour minister in the Congress government. He got re-elected from Tivim constituency in 1984.
His first major political jolt was in 1989 when he contested from Aldona constituency. The alleged molestation scandal severely dented Narvekar’s image and he lost to Ratnakar Chopdekar in the assembly elections.
Narvekar returned to Tivim constituency and bounced back to power in the 1994 and 1999 assembly polls. He served as town and country planning minister in 1999.
Narvekar went back to Aldona constituency and won the 2002 assembly polls. With BJP in power, he served as deputy opposition leader of the Congress party.
His influence continued in 2007 when he got elected from Aldona constituency and he was entrusted with three important portfolios, law, health and IT.
With the Aldona constituency bifurcated into Aldona and Porvorim constituencies in 2012, Narvekar opted to contest in Aldona constituency. Narvekar received the second major jolt of his political career.
He was indirectly blamed for the Calvim bus tragedy, which claimed the lives of six persons, barely two weeks before the polls and the strong anti-Congress wave saw him trounced by BJP candidate Glenn Ticlo.
Narvekar took a break from politics for two years, but his unexpected decision to leave the Congress and float his Goa Democratic Front (GDF) barely a month before the Lok Sabha polls in April took everyone by surprise.
Claiming to have been humiliated by the Congress despite having serving the party for 35 years, Narvekar announced his candidature to the North Goa Lok Sabha seat and was “100% confident of victory.”
Whether he misread the political situation, campaigned a little too late or simply overestimated his popularity, Narvekar was decimated at the Lok Sabha 2014 polls.
