New Entrants In Goa’s Politics Emerge As Giant Killers

Capt Venzy Viegas, a merchant navy officer-turned-politician, who defeated veteran politician and former Goa chief minister Churchill Alemao in this year's assembly polls in the coastal state, is not the only one who has emerged as a giant killer in the coastal state. 

Like him, several new entrants and greenhorns made a number of established politicians bite the dust in Goa, where the BJP won 20 out of 40 seats, emerging as the single largest party.

Alemao, who was considered as the "uncrowned king" of Benaulim assembly segment, had contested the February 14 election on Trinamool Congress (TMC) ticket. But Capt Viegas, who was fielded by the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), defeated him with a margin of 1,271 votes. 

"My victory was expected as people of my constituency stood with my party and its policies. Anti-corruption was the major plank on which we fought," Viegas had said after the results on Thursday. 

Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar, an influential leader, faced defeat at the hands of businessman-turned-politician Altone D'Costa in Quepem constituency. D'Costa, who contested as a Congress candidate, defeated Kavlekar with a big margin of 3,601 votes.

Kavlekar had quit the Congress in 2019 along with nine other party MLAs, and joined the ruling BJP. 

Doctor-turned-politician Chandrakant Shetye defeated BJP candidate and Speaker of Legislative Assembly Rajesh Patnekar in Bicholim constituency. Patnekar stood third after the final round, where Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) candidate Naresh Sawal secured the second position. Shetye defeated Sawal with a margin of 318 votes.

Viresh Borkar, who contested as a candidate of Revolutionary Goans' Party (RGP), a new political outfit formed just months before the polls, defeated sitting MLA and BJP candidate Francis Silveira in St Andre assembly constituency. 

Borkar, who worked as a salesman in a local mobile phone store, defeated Silveira with a margin of mere 76 votes.

Springing a surprise, Congress candidate Sankalp Amonkar made sitting MLA and BJP candidate Milind Naik bite the dust in Mormugao assembly constituency with a margin of 1,941 votes. 

In St Cruz assembly segment, Congress candidate Rudolfo Fernandes turned out to be a giant killerdefeating BJP candidate Antonio Fernandes. The constituency also saw the defeat of AAP's chief ministerial candidate Amit Palekar. Rudolfo defeated Antonio with 2,464 votes. 

First timer Daji Salkar, who contested on BJP ticket from Vasco seat, defeated veteran politician Carlose Almeida, a Congress candidate. Salkar defeated Almeida with a margin of 3,657 votes.

Former BJP minister Alina Saldanha, who had joined the AAP and contested from her traditional Cortalim constituency, faced a humiliating defeat at the hands of Independent candidate Antonio Vas. Among the 10 candidates who were in the fray, Saldanha stood seventh.

BJP candidate Ulhas Tuenkar clinched a victory in Navelim assembly constituency defeating his nearest rival TMC's Valanka  Alemao. This is for the first time in the history of the state that the BJP has won in the Catholic-dominated Navelim constituency.

In Velim, former minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues, who had contested on Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ticket, lost to first-timer Cruz Silva, who was contesting on AAP ticket. (With PTI inputs)