Goa: Political history
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2017
How BJP retained power Goa despite fewer seats
Prafulla Marpakwar, How Shah and Gadkari beat Cong in Goa, March 17, 2017: The Times of India
`Quick Political Decision Key To Our Success'
Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari disclosed to students of a management college on Thursday how decision-making was fasttracked to enable BJP to retain pow er in Goa despite the fact that the party had not secured a clear majority .
“In management, decision-making, and that too on priority, is significant. As in-charge of Goa, we took quick political decisions, Gadkari told students of Welingkar Institute of Man agement Studies.
Providing a peek into the behind-the-scenes activity that preceded government formation in the state, he said he had been in touch with party president Amit Shah at every stage. BJP, faced with anti-incumbency , had managed to win just 13 seats against Congress's 17 in the 40-member assembly .“When the results came in, the party chief (Shah) called me up. We decided to meet at his residence in 3045 minutes,“ he told reporters.
“It was 7pm. I told him we don't have the support. He told me we have to form the government and asked me to go to Goa immediately ,“ he said. What followed was a sleepless night for him, and the prospective allies said they would support BJP provided Manohar Parrikar returned to Goa and the NDA government cleared a few crucial projects.
“At 1.30am, MGP's Sudin Dhawlikar met me. We had a discussion. He pledged support. Vijai Sardesai of Goa Forward Party came to meet (me) next,“ he said. “ At 5am, they (MGP and GFP) put a condition -that they will support BJP only if Parrikar is made CM,“ Gadkari said.
“I woke up Amit Shah at 5.15am and conveyed this to him. I told him I am not able to decide and asked for his advice. He said, `The prime minister is sleeping right now.' He said he would call the PM at 7am. He said if Parrikar were to be sent to Goa, the (BJP) parliamen tary board would have to take a decision and Parrikar's wish would have to be considered,“ he said.
At 8.30am, Shah called Gadkari to say he spoke to the PM and others. “Everybody said that if we can form a government in Goa, and if Parrikar is ready , we should do so.“
He said Congress woke up only after BJP submitted a list of MLAs along with letters of support. “It was unfortunate that Congress was crying foul. We have followed due democratic process,“ he said.
Digvijay stopped Goa Cong from staking claim
`Diggy stopped Goa Cong from staking claim’, March 18, 2017: The Times of India
We Were Ready To Meet Guv But Singh Asked Us To Wait, Says State Unit Chief Faleiro
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief Luizinho Faleiro on Friday obliquely blamed AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh and Goa screening committee chief KC Venugopal for the party's inability to form a government in the state despite winning far more seats than BJP.
Refuting reports that a tussle within Goa Congress leaders for the post of CM led to a delay in government formation, Faleiro asserted that Congress had the support of 21 MLAs needed to form the government. He said it was Singh who suggested that Congress should wait till Goa governor Mridula Sinha invited it to form the government. “As per procedure, I had a letter drafted for the governor to inform her that we would be staking claim to form the government, but I was told by Singh that as per convention, the governor would call us. So we waited,“ Faleiro said.
He said that on the night of March 11, when poll results were declared, independent MLA from Porvorim, Rohan Khaunte, and NCP MLA from Benaulim, Churchill Alemao, had extended support to Congress along with two independent MLAs. “We had 21 MLAs with us on March 11th night, but we didn't have their signatures. Venugopal and Singh were empowered to discuss and take decisions. I would not like to cast blame but yes, I feel we should have taken a decision that night,“ Faleiro said.
He indicated that Singh, along with the other leaders, was reluctant to stake claim to form the government until GFP also came on board.Sources said on March 11, Singh, Venugopal and Chellakumar met GFP's Vijai Sardessai at Dona Paula to convince him to join the Congress coalition. “It was decided by our general secretary and by our leaders in Delhi that we should not go ahead without GFP ,“ Faleiro said, adding, “I am not pointing fingers at anybody , but all I can say is that when I was in charge of the north-eastern states, I used to take decisions on the spot.“
Faleiro said GFP was never in favour of an alliance with Congress because it had a pre-poll alliance with BJP, which ultimately caused a breakdown in post-election coalition negotiations.
BJP records largest vote share in Goa, March 14, 2017: The Hindu
At 32.5% of votes, 4.1% ahead of Cong.
The BJP failed to emerge as the single-largest party in Goa but garnered the largest vote share of 32.5%, 4.1% more than of the Congress, which topped the tally with 17 seats.
As per the data released by the Election Commission, the Congress, which bagged 17 seats in the 40-member House to become the single largest party, secured 28.4% of the total votes. The BJP won 13 seats, falling eight short of getting the absolute majority. The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, which won three seats, polled 11.3% of the total votes, the data showed.
The AAP was unable to open its account but polled 6.3% of the total votes, while Independent candidates polled 11.1% votes. The Goa Forward Party, which bagged three seats, polled 3.5% votes.
Goa has the highest NOTA percentage among all the five poll States
