Goa: 19 Chief Ministers in 20 years, instability looms again

PANAJI: Nineteen Chief Ministers in last 20 years, none of them barring one lasting full five years, this has been the fate of Goa, the tiny coastal state.

And once again, with the incumbent Digambar Kamat's government losing the majority in the last two days' development, the state is readying itself for another episode of political instability.

The worst of it all was witnessed in 1994, when Ravi Naik (who holds home portfolio in current regime) was made Chief Minister, only to be unseated within seven days by Wilfred D'souza.

Interestingly, until 1987, when the state was carved out of former Union Territory which comprised Goa and Diu and Daman also, all the Chief Ministers could complete their term.

The era of instability and overnight shifting loyalties that began post 1987 has seen political equations turning on their head.

BJP leader Manohar Parrikar's tenure was cut short in a coupe that was led by Atanasio Monserratte in 2005. Parrikar would have managed to save his chair, had Kamat, then the second in command in Parrikar's government, not switched his loyalties to Monserratte.

Two years later, the situation has reversed, again Monseserratte is leading the coup, but now Kamat is in Chief Minister's chair, facing threat of losing out to Parrikar in the number game.

Also, it was the same Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) which had fuelled the coupe against Parrikar. This time around, MGP has sided with the BJP leader.

The state which was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961 had military governors till 1963 when the first general election was held.

Dayanand Bandodkar, founder of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak party, became the first Chief Minister of Goa. He held sway until his death in 1973.

Then reins passed to his daughter, Shashikala Kakodkar who remained the Chief Minister till 1979.

MGP's stranglehold was broken in 1980 Assembly elections, when Congress' Pratapsingh Rane became the Chief Minister.

The era of short-lived governments began with Churchill Alemao, who served as the Chief Minister for just seventeen days, before stepping down to make way for Luis Proto Barbosa.

Barbosa lasted only eight months. Ravi Naik replaced him in a political changeover. Naik served for two years. Dr Wilfred D'Souza was installed in the chair for next one year, from 1993 to April 1994.

In 1994, Naik toppled D'Souza to reclaim the Chief Minster's post, where he lasted all of seven days.

Since then Pratapsingh Rane (Congress), Dr Wilfred D'Souza (Congress), Luizinho Faleiro (Congress) W Fransisco Sardinha (Goa Rajiv Congress), Manohar Parrikar (BJP) and now Digamber Kamat (Congress) have been Chief Ministers, heading coalitions with all sorts of permutations and combinations.