PANAJI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained its hold over Defence minister
Manohar Parrikar’s home turf but just by a narrow margin. Sitting BJP MLA Sidharth Kuncalienkar emerged as a giant killer on Saturday to defeat Taleigao strongman Atanasio Monserrate whose decision to contest from Panaji constituency appears to have backfired.
Panaji was defence minister Parrikar’s favourite hunting ground before he was elevated to the post of Union minster for defence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet. Control over Panaji was a prestige issue for the BJP.
Monserrate, who was the St. Cruz MLA, took a political gamble to challenge BJP in Goa’s capital, which has been a long time BJP bastion.
Monserrate was counting on his strong hold over the local civic body, Corporation of the City of Panaji to help him win the state assembly polls.
BJP has now retained its hold over Panaji, with Kuncalienkar polling 6695 votes, outrunning Monserrate by 800 odd votes.
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