Even as the BJP celebrated its performance in the Goa elections, the BJP victor from the high-profile seat of Panaji expressed anger at his own party.
Congress-turned-BJP leader Atanasio Monserrate won Panaji with a margin of around 700 votes, with tough competition from the son of late Manohar Parrikar, a former CM of the coastal state.
Utpal Parrikar contested as an independent candidate after the BJP denied him a ticket, and secured 6,071 votes, against Monserrate's 6,787. Congress' Elvis Gomes came third with 3,175 votes.
After the declaration of the results, Monserrate claimed that BJP cadre had actually campaigned for the Opposition candidate in Panaji.
Monserrate had joined the BJP after defecting from the Congress with 9 other legislators in 2019.