Splintered Opposition puts BJP in driver's seat in Goa polls

A splintered opposition pulled down the Congress' electoral fortunes and put an anti-incumbency battered BJP back in the driver's seat in Goa on Thursday, with the saffron party winning 20 seats, just one short of a majority.

The Congress and its alliance partner Goa Forward won 11 and one seat respectively, while the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, which contested the elections in alliance with the Trinamool Congress, could win only two seats. TMC could not open its account in the polls, while the Aam Aadmi Party won two seats and the Revolutionary Goans, a nativist political outfit making a debut in the state assembly polls, won one seat.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is tipped to continue his run in the top post, although according to the BJP's Goa poll in-charge, Devendra Fadnavis, a decision would be formally taken in consultation with the elected MLAs and the BJP's central parliamentary board soon. "Now there will be a meeting of the central parliamentary board. A central observer will be appointed. He will come to Goa either today or tomorrow. There will be a legislature party meeting after which we will meet the Governor. Because we have a majority, we do not need to run around," the former Maharashtra Chief Minister said.

He also said that the party had secured letters of support from five MLAs and was not in a hurry to stake a claim to power. "Three independent candidates have extended support to the BJP. We had said yesterday that even if we win 21 seats, we will take some more people along with us. In keeping with the assurance, these three independents and the MGP have given a letter of support to the BJP. They are going to be with us. We are thankful to the MGP and the three candidates and we will form a government with a good majority of 25," he said.

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In a 40-member state assembly, 21 is the majority mark.

The Congress has accepted the "mandate of the people", with All India Congress Committee senior observer for Goa elections P Chidambaram saying that a split in the opposition votes cost the party dear. "Although we communicated the message that if you want change, vote for the Congress (and) do not split the votes among other parties, we accept that message was perhaps not communicated as effectively as it should have," Chidambaram told reporters.

"That message was heard by all Goans but reacted differently and voted largely for the Congress party and also voted for other parties, especially the new entrants to the electoral field in Goa. As a result, the non-BJP votes were divided and in some cases, hopelessly divided, which gave the BJP a free pass to victory in that constituency," he said.

Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar has accepted responsibility for the defeat and has offered to resign from the top post.

The Trinamool Congress, which failed to win a single seat despite a high profile campaign, said that it would continue its political foray in Goa. The Trinamool Congress, as well as a resurgent AAP and the Revolutionary Goans party appear to have dented the prospects of the Congress, especially in constituencies with significant minority community pockets.

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