Goa lessons for BJP

Assembly elections are not due in Goa till 2027.

- ADITI PHADNIS

But the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), currently in power there, should maybe begin worrying.

Goa has two parliamentary seats South Goa and North Goa. The general elections yielded a shock defeat for the BJP in the South Goa constituency, where it thought it had played a master stroke by fielding Pallavi Dempo as its candidate, expecting that as a new face, she would unseat the Congress from its bastion once more.

The Congress has held the seat 10 times while the BJP has won it twice (1999 and 2014). Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a campaign meeting for her at Sancoale. She was the first woman to be fielded from a parliamentary constituency in the state, with a name that evokes instant recall among Goans. Ms Dempo belongs to a family that has interests in mining, shipbuilding, sports, and real estate. In her affidavit, she declared assets amounting to ₹255.44 crore. Her husband, Shrinivas Dempo, declared assets of ₹998.83 crore. Most of the wealth shown in the affidavit was from shareholdings in 81 companies and bonds purchased in some of the top brands and banks. The family owns homes in Dubai and London, luxury cars, jewellery, and other investments, the affidavit tells us.