There is one involving former minister Milind Naik, too. While Sawant dismissed the mine allegation, first raised by the Trinamool Congress, it is not the only allegation that is troubling the BJP. No wonder the MGP has refused to ally with the BJP this time and has joined hands with the Trinamool Congress, which has vowed to oust the BJP from power.Ĭongress candidates for the assembly election in Goa at the the Hamza Shah Dargah | Nitin Gawade In doing so, it reduced the MGP to just one legislator and delivered a severe blow to the oldest Hindu party in Goa. Subsequently, in 2019, it engineered a split in the Congress and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party to add 12 more legislators to its kitty. And, it has itself to blame, as people have not forgotten how the BJP formed the government in 2017 when it was the second largest party with 13 legislators, a good eight short of majority in the 40-member house. Having ruled Goa since 2012, the BJP is facing a strong anti-incumbency wave this time. Parrikar and Parsekar have since quit the BJP and have decided to contest as independents.

And, it is not taking any chances, be it denying tickets to a few sitting MLAs, rejecting claims of aspirants like Utpal Parrikar, son of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, or dumping former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who lobbied hard for a ticket from his home turf Mandrem.

The BJP state leadership has realised that the task of retaining power in the ‘Sushegaat’ (relaxed) state will not be easy. ‘Power at any cost’ seems to be the tagline of the BJP’s election campaign in Goa, which reflects in its selection of candidates, too. But this temple run speaks volumes about the Congress’s fear of the BJP, especially its ability to break parties to reach its goal of forming the government.

Whether the candidates took the oath in all sincerity will become clear only after the results are declared on March 10. Having badly burnt its fingers in 20, when Congress legislators joined the BJP in groups, the party does not want to take any chances this time. Amit Palekar, the AAP’s chief ministerial candidate, became the face of people’s agitation last year when he sat on a hunger strike to oppose construction of a Mumbai BJP leader’s bungalow in Old Goa’s heritage zone.

Stronghold cabinets