Mixed results for party-hoppers

MARGAO: The 2017 Goa assembly results have yielded mixed results for those who frequently change their political party.

Among the winners is former chief minister Churchill Alemao, who has switched many parties, including the UGDP, SGF, Congress and Trinamool Congress. This time, Alemao has won on the NCP ticket.

Former minister Manohar ‘Babu’ Azgaonkar, who won on the MGP ticket, was previously with the BJP and Congress. Mauvin Godinho and Pandurang Madkaikar, who resigned from the Congress and joined the BJP prior to the polls, won from Dabolim and Cumbharjua, respectively. Madkaikar first elected as MGP candidate later switched to BJP and then Congress.

Similarly, former MLA Rajesh Patnekar, who quit the BJP prior to the 2012 polls, and unsuccessfully contested as Congress candidate, witnessed a change in fortune after his ghar wapasi to BJP. Former NCP minister Nilkanth Halarnkar won from Tivim on the Congress ticket.

Among the prominent candidates facing defeat after contesting on a different party symbol were Francisco ‘Mickky’ Pacheco, Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate, Caetano Silva, Vasudev Gaonkar, Suresh Amonkar, Pandurang Raut, Shyam Satardekar, Pratap Gawas and Karl Vaz.

Pacheco and Monserrate, who contested on the GSRP and UGP tickets from Nuvem and Panaji constituencies, respectively, lost. Both were initially elected as UGDP MLAs, but defected to the BJP. They later toppled the BJP government. While Monserrate joined the Congress, Pacheco opted for the NCP. The latter won the 2012 polls as GVP candidate from Nuvem.

Silva, former GVP, contested as an independent. Former BJP ministers, Amonkar and Gaonkar contested on the GSM and MGP tickets, respectively. Former Congress MLAs, Satardekar and Gawas also lost as GSM and NCP candidates, respectively. Former independent legislator Vaz last as AAP candidate.

Raut, who lost as the GPP candidate, has been a member of almost all major political parties.


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