Panaji, Mar 11 (PTI) : Outgoing Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Saturday said that the people of Goa will repent for the next five years for giving a fractured mandate.
"I don't know why there was such a result. People have given a fractured mandate and I feel they have committed a mistake. They will repent for next five years," Parsekar told reporters after submitting his resignation to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha.
Parsekar lost from Mandrem constituency to Congress candidate Dayanand Sopte by over 7,000 votes.
The outgoing chief minister was accompanied by his cabinet colleague Rajendra Arlekar who lost from Pernem seat.
Assembly election 2017: Most BJP ministers in Goa defeated
Most of the ministers in the BJP-led Government headed by Laxmikant Parsekar in Goa were defeated on Saturday apart from Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar who lost his sitting seat Mandrem in the Assembly polls.
Six of the eight ministers who were in the fray lost the polls to their rivals, adding to the poor performance of the BJP, which in 2012 emerged victorious in the coastal state securing a simple majority on its own.
Parsekar lost to Congress candidate Dayanand Sopte in Mandrem by over 7000 votes.
The party was jolted as its senior leader and Forest Minister Rajendra Arlekar lost to MGP's Manohar Asgaonkar in Pernem constituency.
The newly-formed Goa Forward Party dealt a double blow to the BJP as its candidates unseated two senior ministers in the outgoing cabinet.
While in Siolim, Water Resources Minister Dayanand Mandrekar was defeated by GFP's candidate Vinod Palyekar in Saligao constituency Tourism minister Dilip Parulekar lost to Jayesh Salgaoncar, also from the regional outfit.
State Industries Minister Mahadev Naik was defeated by Congress's Subhash Shirodkar in Shiroda constituency.
Another prominent loser was MGP's Dipak Dhavalikar, who was sacked from the cabinet before the polls after his party severed its ties with the BJP, just ahead of the elections.
Dhavalikar lost to Independent candidate Govind Gawade who was backed by BJP in Priol constituency.
Cong to seek support of like-minded parties in Goa: Digvijay
As Goa heads for a hung Assembly,the Congress on Saturday said it will seek support from like-minded parties to muster a majority and form the next government.
"We will not mind approaching like-minded parties such as Goa Forward if we require additional numbers to form the next government," AICC general secretary in-charge of Goa affairs Digvijay Singh told reporters in Panaji.
Of the total 40 Assembly seats, Congress has secured win on 17 seats while the ruling BJP got 13.
The majority mark in the coastal state is 21 seats.
Goa Forward chief spokesman Prashant Naik said the party has kept all its options open.
The regional party, which came into existence just a year ago, has won three seats, making its role crucial in the formation of next government. Another regional outfit, MGP, has bagged three seats.
Goa Forward is being wooed by BJP too.
Michael Lobo of BJP, who has been elected from Calangute constituency, told reporters he has already met Goa Forward leader Vijai Sardesai.
If required, the party will take his support to form the next government, he said.