Goa CM Parsekar loses; close contest between Congress, BJP

Mangalore Today News Network

Panaji, Mar 11, 2017: In a setback to BJP, Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar was today humbled in his sitting seat Mandrem by Congress candidate Dayanand Sopte, as the ruling and opposition parties appeared locked in a close fight, going by results and trends from all the 40 segments. Parsekar lost by a margin of 7,219 votes.

Of the 15 results declared so far, BJP bagged 6, Congress 4, Goa Forward 2, MGP, independent and NCP one each. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which made a serious bid in the electoral politics of the coastal state, is trailing the two main contestants in all the seats.

Deputy Chief Minister Fransic D’Souza of BJP won from Mapusa constituency defeating MGP candidate Vinod Phadke by a margin of 6,806 votes. Goa Forward candidate Vinod Palyekar defeated BJP candidate and State Minister Dayanand Mandrekar in Siolim.

Two other BJP nominees -- Pravin Zantye and Michael Lobo -- emerged victorious from Mayem and Calangute constituencies respectively. While Zantye defeated Congress rival Santosh Sawant by 4,974 votes, Lobo won by 4,460 votes against Congress candidate Joseph Sequeira.

Congress candidate Francis Silveira bagged the St Andre constituency defeating BJP’s Ramrao Wagh by a margin of 5,070 votes. MGP’s Dipak Pawaskar defeated Ganesh Gaonkar of BJP by 1,169 votes in Sanvordem.