76 to 716: Victory margins in 10 Goa constituencies

The results of the Goa assembly polls, where the BJP emerged as the single largest party by winning 20 out of 40 seats, showed that in 10 constituencies, the victory margin remained in the range of as low as 76 to 716, the Election Commission data has revealed.

The victory margin remained below the 100-mark in two of these constituencies in the coastal state, where the assembly polls were held on February 14 and the results were declared on Thursday.

The lowest victory margin of 76 was recorded in St Andre constituency in North Goa, where Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP), a new political outfit in the state, made its debut by defeating BJP candidate and sitting MLA Francis Silveira. RGP candidate Viresh Borkar won the contest.

Ponda assembly segment witnessed a close fight between BJP’s Ravi Naik and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) candidate Dr Ketan Bhatikar. While initial results had announced Dr Bhatikar was the winner, the recounting of the votes turned the tables, in which Naik won the poll battle by bagging 77 votes more than his nearest rival.

Velim constituency in South Goa also witnessed a close contest, where Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Cruz Silva defeated Congress’s Savio D’Silva by getting 169 votes more than the latter.

In Priol constituency in South Goa, BJP candidate Govind Gaude defeated MGP president and party candidate Deepak Dhavalikar by a margin of 213 votes.

Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant of the BJP was seen trailing in the initial round of counting, but improved his performance in the second and third rounds, defeated his rival, Congress candidate Dharmesh Saglani, by a margin of 666 votes in Sanquelim constituency. (PTI)