Fractured verdict in Goa; Congress-NCP is single largest group

Panaji, June 5 (UNI) The Assembly elections in Goa threw up a hung House today with Independents and smaller parties holding the key to the formation of a new government in the tiny coastal state.

In the 40-member House, the Congress-NCP combine had secured 17 seats (Congress-14, NCP-3) and the BJP 16 seats.

The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), former Chief Minister Churchill Alemao's Save Goa Front (SGF) and Independents had won two seats each. One seat went to the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP).

The BJP has already gone on record saying it would prefer to sit in the Opposition to indulging in horse-trading.

The Congress, on the other hand, has to forge an alliance with the two victorious Independent candidates, including Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane's son Viswajit Rane, and the MGP for attaining simple majority to form the government.

Before the polls, the Congress had made clear its aversion to any truck with the UGDP, particularly former minister from Taliegao Atanasio Monserrate (Babush) and the SGF, headed by Mr Alemao.

Babush, who has retained his Taleigao seat, authored the controversial Regional Plan-2011 which had to be withdrawn following a public outcry.

Mr Alemao resigned as Lok Sabha member from South Goa and from the primary membership of the Congress before taking over the reins of the SGF.

The Congress had also crossed swords with the Cooperation Minister Sudin Dhavlikar of MGP in the coalition government, saying he was affecting the party's prospects by not undertaking developmental works. His patch up with the Congress is not ruled out in the given situation.

In the outgoing House, the Congress had a strength of 18 and was backed by NCP 2, MGP-1 and Independent 1. The BJP had 15 members.

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