Goa, some political history !!

 Some history ! – some politics !  - thought Goa was the bastion of Congress in its formative days!!!

 

Goa, a tiny emerald land on the west coast of India, the 25th state of the Union states of India, was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961. It was a part of Union Territory of Goa, Daman & Diu till 30th May 1987 when it was carved out of form a separate state. Goa covers an area of 3702 square kilometers and comprises two Revenue district viz North Goa and South Goa. Boundaries of Goa State are defined in the North Terekhol river which separates it from Maharashtra, in the East and South by Karnataka State and West by Arabian Sea. Goa lies in Western Coast of India and is 594 Km (by road) away from Mumbai city.  

Panaji is the state's capital, while Vasco da Gama is its largest city. The historic city of Margão in Goa still exhibits the cultural influence of the Portuguese, who first voyaged to the subcontinent in the early 16th century as merchants, and conquered it soon thereafter, whereupon Goa became an overseas territory of the Portuguese Empire for about 456 years until it was annexed by India in 1961.  Goa's official language, which is spoken by a majority of its inhabitants, is Konkani.  

In the 3rd century BC, Goa was part of the Maurya Empire, ruled by the Buddhist emperor, Ashoka of Magadha. Between the 2nd century BC and the 6th century AD, Goa was ruled by the Bhojas of Goa.  

Dr. Pramod Pandurang Sawant, an  Ayurveda Medical Practitioner,   is serving as the 11th and current Chief Minister of Goa since 2019. He represents the Sanquelim constituency in the Goa Legislative Assembly.  He was  earlier the speaker in the Goa Legislative Assembly from 2017 to 2019. He became chief minister when then incumbent chief minister Manohar Parrikar died.  

The last Sobakruthu varusham was in 1963 - In that year was held the first elections to Goa, Daman & Diu Legislative Assembly to elect members of the 30 constituencies, in the Union territory. Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party won the most seats (fourteen), and its leader, Dayanand Bandodkar was appointed as the Chief Minister of Goa, Daman and Diu.  The United Goans Party won 12 seats, three seats were won by Independents, whereas the Jawaharlal Nehru-led Indian National Congress only won one seat.  

Dayanand Balkrishna Bandodkar had become a wealthy mine owner following the Annexation of Goa. He sought to merge the territory with the state of Maharashtra. He swept the polls in 1963, 1967 and in 1972 while representing the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and remained in power until his death in 1973. 

 
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
15.4.2023