Parrikar to be BJP CM in Goa

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will be Chief Minister in a BJP-led government in Goa, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced on Sunday. "The Defence Minister will resign before he takes oath as the new Goa Chief Minister," Gadkari told reporters here after the BJP Parliamentary Board met in New Delhi. Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, led by Parrikar, met Goa Governor Mridula Sinha to stake claim to forming the government in the coastal state. Gadkari said the BJP has support of 21 lawmakers in the 40-member house and "we are likely to get the support of one or two MLAs". The Bharatiya Janata Party won 13 seats while the Congress bagged 17. The remaining seats went to Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (three each), Nationalist Congress Party (one) and Independents (three).

Congress has emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats in the 40-member assembly. BJP won 13 seats and the figure both parties would be aiming to achieve now is 21. Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party's (MGP) has three MLAs; Goa Forward Block (GFB) also has three while there are two Independent candidates. MGP has decided to give support to BJP saying "Congress is directionless." If the alliance with rest of the parties is successful, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar would again be taking over the chief ministerial post. Goa Forward leader Vijai Sardessai told news website Scroll.in that his party was in a dilemma over whom to choose to ally with. He has been a critic of both the parties. Laxmikant Parsekar, outgoing chief minister and one of those leaders instrumental in establishing the BJP in Goa, could not keep the party flag flying in the tiny coastal state. ALSO READ: Numbers reveal a missed opportunity for BJP's opponents The BJP won just 13 seats and Parsekar, 60, lost to Congress's Dayanand Sopte from Madrem constituency by over 7,000 votes. Meanwhile, 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 per cent of the total votes. BJP won 13 seats, falling eight short of getting the absolute majority. Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, which won three seats, polled 11.3 per cent of the total votes, the data showed. 1.2 per cent people opted for NOTA. "Goa has the highest NOTA percentage among all the five states which went to polls," Goa's Chief Electoral Officer Kunal said here. Aam Aadmi Party was unable to open its account in the coastal state but polled 6.3 per cent of the total votes, while Independent candidates polled 11.1 per cent votes. Goa Forward Party, which bagged three seats, polled 3.5 per cent votes, while NCP which won one seat was able to get 2.3 per cent of the total votes. Subhash Velingkar-led Goa Suraksha Manch, which drew a blank, polled 1.2 per cent votes. United Goans Party, which also did not win a single seat, polled one per cent votes while Goa Su-Raj Party's share was 0.6 per cent. Goa Vikas Party, which too drew a blank, had a share of 0.6 per cent votes. (With additional information from PTI)