Daijiworld Media Network - Goa (MB)
from special correspondent
with pics from Rajtilak Naik

Panaji, Nov 3: The Congress party on Saturday proved its might in the south Goa constituency. Congress candidate Fransisco Sardinha, who is also Goa Pradesh Congress Committee chief, defeated his nearest rival BJP candidate Dr Wilfred Mesquita by a 40,000-plus margin in the Mormugao constituency lok sabha by-poll.

The new LS member-elect, Francisco Sardinha

Francisco Sardinha during the rally

Francisco Sardinha celebrating his victory along the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat in Margao

The crowd outside the counting hall in Margao

Sardinha speaking to the media along with former Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro and Agriculture minister Mickey Pacheco soon after the results were declared

Sardinha in the counting hall

The seat had fallen vacant after then-Congress MP Churchill Alemao had resigned on May 8 to enter the state politics. He had also left Congress party.

Besides candidates from two major parties - Congress and BJP, two independent candidates Jawahar Dias and Hamja Khan were in the fray.

While Sardinha polled 1.18 lac votes, Mesquita could hardly muster about 77,000 votes. Apparently, those assembly constituencies which are represented by the BJP also favoured Congress candidate.

Rajtilak Naik adds with pics:

Congress candidate for the south Goa Parliamentary by-election Francisco Sardinha won the battle with an overall lead of 40,902 votes over his BJP rival Wilfred Misquita who got 77,000 votes in comparison to Sardinha's 1.18 lac votes. Congress polled 21% votes while BJP got 13% votes out of the overall 34% of votes polled on October 31.

from Divvy Kant Upadhyay:

Chequered career of Francisco Sardinha

On November 5, 1999, one of the two NCP MLAs, Francis D'Souza joined the Congress (I).

On November 19, 1999, eleven out of the twenty-six Congress (I) MLAs, including four Ministers and the Deputy Speaker quit the party and staked claim to form a coalition government with the support of the MGP and NCP MLAs.

On November 20, 1999, the governor, Lt Gen (Retd) J R Jacob asked CM Luizinho Faleiro to prove his majority on the floor of the House on November 24, 1999. Meanwhile, the BJP decided to support the eleven-member breakaway group led by Francisco Sardinha.

On November 21, 1999, CM Luizinho Faleiro resigned before the Vote of confidence. Thereafter, Francisco Sardinha was sworn in as CM and was asked to prove his majority on the floor of the House within 21 days.

Portfoios held by Francisco Sardinha then as chief minister: Home, Finance, Housing, General Administration and Personnel.