Goa re-elects sitting MPs, albeit with depleted margins
16 May 2009, 1359 hrs IST, IANS
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<http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4539081.cms#write> Text:
PANAJI: Goa re-elected both its sitting MPs with the Congress and the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning one each of the two Lok Sabha seats in
the state.
The common characteristic in the victories of both the candidates -
Shripad Naik (BJP) and Francisco Sardinha (Congress) - were their
massively depleted margins as compared to their last wins.
Naik won the North Goa seat with a margin of 6,471 votes, a startling
drop from the massive margin of nearly 58,000 votes in the 2004
elections. Sardinha, who was elected to parliament from South Goa during
the 2007 by-poll, has retained his seat with a lead of 12,516, a far cry
from his earlier margin of 40,902 votes.
While Naik's rival Jitendra Deshprabhu (NCP) has already conceded
defeat, a technical snag in one electronic voting machine (EVM), which
has 462 votes clocked in, has kept the Election Commission from
officially declaring the results of the North Goa constituency.
Naik polled 131,775 votes and Deshprabhu got 125,304. The detailed
break-up of votes polled as per assembly segments will be available only
by evening, election officials said.
Speaking to reporters, Deshprabhu said the contest with Naik was a
healthy contest. "It was a good fight. I am grateful for all the
Congress workers and leaders who supported me. I will introspect and see
where I went wrong."
Chief minister Digambar Kamat described the Congress victory in South
Goa as a "victory of Congress party policies".
