Why both Congress and BJP are eyeing South Goa constituency

With the coastal state of Goa gearing up for the Lok Sabha elections scheduled on May 7, all eyes are on South Goa constituency which is known for throwing somewhat unexpected results, keeping the ruling as well as Opposition camps on tenterhooks.

The country’s smallest state has just two Lok Sabha constituencies. While the North Goa seat has been a bastion of the ruling BJP since 1999 and has been represented by the party’s Shripad Naik for five consecutive terms, the South Goa seat has been won by the Congress, BJP and regional parties on different occasions.

Of the 20 assembly seats falling under North Goa constituency, only one is with the Congress at present, while 19 are with the BJP. The South Goa seat comprising 20 assembly segments and a sizable Christian population has mostly remained with the Congress, but was also won by the BJP and regional parties a few times.

Congress’ Francisco Sardinha won from South Goa in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, defeating then sitting MP Narendra Sawarkar of BJP. The grand old party has won this seat 10 times since 1962 when Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule, while the BJP has clinched it twice – in 1999 and 2014.

INDIA bid to retain seat

Regional parties have also won this seat a few times, including the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) in 1962, the United Goans Party in 1967 and 1971, and the United Goans Democratic Party in 1996.

In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Opposition INDIA bloc is striving to retain the seat for the Congress, while the BJP’s endeavour is to wrest it.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief Amit Patkar told news agency PTI, “We will be able to retain the South Goa seat as traditionally it has been our bastion. Considering the current anti-incumbency and the unity of the INDIA bloc, we are in a better position.”

However, Goa BJP general secretary Damu Naik said his party will emerge victorious this time. “We have the maximum number of MLAs from this constituency, which will make it easier for us to win. Secondly, the ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ campaign has been getting a good response from the people and they are keen to see the Modi government continue at the helm,” he said while talking to the news agency. 

BJP making inroads

Of the total 20 assembly segments that the South Goa constituency comprises, five are with the INDIA grouping, while 14 are with BJP and its partners. One MLA belongs to the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP). The MGP, which was with the Congress during the 2019 elections, is now supporting the BJP in this constituency. The MGP has only one MLA in South Goa.

According to political analysts, the BJP has made inroads into the tribal pockets of the constituency, including the forests of Quepem, Sanguem, Canacona, and is also wooing the voters of urban localities like Margao and Mormugao, The Congress will have to bank on the INDIA bloc’s united force.

The Christian population, which has been the traditional vote bank of the Congress, will remain with the INDIA grouping in this constituency, according to political observers.

Some Opposition votes may also go to the Revolutionary Goans Party, which has been extensively campaigning in this Lok Sabha segment since December last year, they said.

The RGP won a seat in the 2022 Goa assembly polls.

Delay in candidates

Meanwhile, the delay in announcement of candidates has caused unease in both the camps. Though the BJP was quick to announce Naik’s name from North Goa seat, the party is still struggling to name its nominee from South Goa constituency.

Senior BJP leaders said the party high command is looking for someone who can also get votes for the party outside its own vote bank. Some of the party leaders said that their vote share declined in South Goa in 2019 despite the Modi wave sweeping the country. The BJP lost the South Goa seat by around 10,000 votes in the last Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress, on the other hand, hasn’t announced its candidates for both the seats in the coastal state. The NCP (SP) on Wednesday expressed its displeasure over the “delay” by Congress in declaring INDIA bloc candidates.

NCP (SP) Goa unit chief Jose Philip D'Souza said all members of the INDIA alliance met in Goa on March 6 at a meeting chaired by Congress' Goa desk incharge Manikrao Thakre.

“It was decided to set up a coordination committee within two days, but till now there is no news about it. There is also a delay in announcing candidates. Congress should not wait anymore. We are waiting to campaign for the official candidates, but we don't know whom the tickets would be given,” D'Souza told reporters.

Goa Congress president Amit Patkar told PTI that the party has already begun campaigning in both the parliamentary constituencies. “We will declare the candidates any time soon now,” he added.