For the Congress party, its plan of backing its block-level party workers with tickets worked wonders with its candidate from Mormugao, Sankalp Amonkar, and the candidate from Quepem, Altone D’Costa emerging winners. While Amonkar exposed an alleged sex scandal forcing minister Milind Naik to resign ended defeating him, D’Costa managed to send deputy CM and former Congressman Chandrakant Babu Kavlekar home.Like Amonkar, Congress candidates Yuri Alemao from Cuncolim, and Rudolfo Fernandes from Santa Cruz will be in the state legislative assembly after previous failed attempts in 2017. Rajesh Faldessai in Cumbharjua also sprung a surprise win from the Congress just as advocate Carlos Ferreira and Kedar Naik won in Aldona and Saligao seats in Bardez taluka respectively. For the MGP, its candidate from Mandrem Jit Arolkar, who had earlier lost as an independent returned as the winner defeating Dayanand Sopte of the BJP and former chief minister and independent candidate Laxmikant Parsenkar. Likewise, in Bicholim, independent candidate and well-known ophthalmologist Dr. Chandrakant Shetye emerged as a first-time MLA by defeating two former MLAs, BJP’s Rajesh Patnekar and MGP’s Naresh Sawal. Goa Forward Party leader Vijai Sardessai, who was the lone winner from his party which had given two fresh faces in 2017, said, “When people compare the new Congress, which has fielded 75% new faces in these elections, with the BJP, the contrast is stark. Nearly 50% of candidates fielded by the ruling party were defectors or from defector families,” he pointed out.
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