New assembly sees only 9 debutantes

PANAJI: Hopes that Goa’s electorate would welcome a number of new faces to the assembly appear to have been dashed, as only nine debutantes have emerged victorious from the multi-cornered contest for the 40 seats.
After votes were counted in the 13th assembly election, the tally of new faces was a far cry from the 19 first-time MLAsalmost 50%to have been elected in the March 2012 polls.
The Congress topped the list with three new faces — St Cruz sarpanch Antonio ‘Tony’ Fernandes from St Cruz constituency, Wilfred ‘Babashan’ D’Sa from Nuvem, and zilla panchayat member Clafasio Dias from Cuncolim — who are set to make their entry into the assembly.
The Congress had nominated 37 candidates, of whom 17 were declared victorious.
The GFP enjoyed a better success rate, as two rookie candidates of its four nominees emerged victors, pulling off a giant-killing feat. Jayesh Salgaonkar toppled tourism minister Dilip Parulekar in Saligao, and Vinod Palyekar defeated WRD minister Dayanand Mandrekar, in Siolim.
Three of the 58 independents in the fray also received a mandate. Govind Gaude, supported by BJP, trounced MGP president and Priol MLA, Pandurang ‘Deepak’ Dhavlikar. Prasad Gaonkar, who led the eight-cornered contest in Sanguem, defeated sitting BJP MLA, Subhash Phal Desai.
The BJP, which contested 36 seats but managed to muster only 13, had only a single new face, former Congress candidate, Pravin Zantye, emerging a winner from the Mayem constituency.
It was MGP’s Deepak Pauskar, a rookie, who set the ball rolling for the newcomers to the assembly by claiming the first seat after counting and in the bargain, prevented sitting BJP Sanvordem MLA Ganesh Gaonkar, from returning to the state assembly.