The introduction of the bill became a major election plant for the Revolutionary Goans Party which defines a person of Goan origin as “A person of Goan Origin” of the state of Goa shall mean a person who is or whose either parent or grandparent was born in Goa prior to 20 December 1961 or who had a permanent habitation in Goa prior to 20 December 1961 and who were citizens of India post-liberation irrespective of nationality or passport they hold currently.[9]
To protect the rights of the person of Goan origin of State of Goa in respect of jobs, benefits of various government schemes, education, Comunidade land and Government, semi-Government plots/apartments/shops, promotions and to make certain other provisions connected therewith.
Where it is expedient to give better protection to the person of Goan origin in view of special Portuguese laws, provisions of code of Comunidade, effect of late independence of Goa on education opportunities for Goans, Peculiar social and economic changes affecting Goans and changing demography vis-a-vis small size of the state and its population.
— The Goa Person of Goan Origin Bill 2019 (introductory paragraphs)[10]
On 14 January 2022, the Revolutionary Goans Party officially announced Manoj Parab as their designated candidate for the position of Chief Minister in the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election.[11] However, Parab's electoral campaigns in both Tivim and Valpoi constituencies were unsuccessful.[12]
Political analyst Prakash Kamat expressed reservations about some of Parab and the party's ideas, suggesting that they may not align with constitutional principles. For example, Kamat highlighted Parab's POGO Bill, which advocates granting exclusive rights to Goans. He further added that Parab has managed to generate enthusiasm among the people, as evidenced by his significant vote share. This has discussions for Parab to be taken seriously as a political figure.[14]
Post Assembly election objectives
Parab during a public meeting, 2020
In March 2022, Parab outlined the strategic objectives of his party to enhance its presence within the 40-member house by 2027. The party planned to participate in various elections in Goa, including the Lok Sabha, zilla panchayat, and municipality elections. Parab emphasized the party's commitment to running a campaign, aiming to secure a wider base of support. In pursuit of this goal, Parab sought the guidance and mentorship of individuals from diverse backgrounds. In the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election, the Revolution Goans Party (RGP) achieved a vote share of 9.5%, equivalent to over 92,000 votes. Building upon this success, the party has set a target of attaining 3.5 lakh votes in the forthcoming elections.[15]
2022 Goa Village Panchayat election
In March 2022, subsequent to the Legislative Assembly election, Parab declared the party's intention to participate in the forthcoming Goa village panchayat election, slated for August of the same year.[15] Emphasizing the positive vote share obtained during the 2022 assembly election, Parab underscored the party's commitment to promoting the involvement of youth in the panchayat election. The party's overarching objective was to advance the notion of self-sustainability and empowerment within rural communities. Parab articulated the need for contesting elections at the grassroots level to combat systemic issues and eradicate corruption at the village level. Furthermore, Parab refuted allegations of his party being responsible for vote division in the assembly election, asserting that they merely provided voters with additional choices. He also indicated the party's intention to address the issue of Goan identity through their sole legislator in the assembly.[16]
Among the 186 panchayats in Goa, Parab's party, the RGP, was unsuccessful in gaining control over any panchayat, with the exception of a single victory in the Azossim-Mandur panchayat within the St. Andre constituency. This victory was achieved by a slender margin of 4–3, with the party's former president and newcomer candidate, Viresh Borkar, triumphing over the four-term BJP candidate Francisco Silveira in the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election.[17]
2022 Goa Zilla Panchayat election
On 3 October 2022, Parab held a press conference to announce the candidates his party was nominating for the upcoming by-elections in three Zilla Panchayat constituencies. These by-elections were scheduled to take place on 16 October. Andrew Rebello was chosen as the RGP's candidate for the Davorlim constituency, while Leslie Gama was selected to contest from the Cortalim constituency. Sainath Korgaonkar was named as the RGP's candidate for the Reis Magos constituency.[18]
On 6 October 2022, Olencio Simoes, a leader of the Congress party, expressed a willingness to form an alliance with the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) for the forthcoming Zilla Panchayat polls. Simoes stated that the Congress party had suffered a loss of ten seats in the Assembly elections due to the actions of the Revolutionary Goans Party. He urged the RGP to demonstrate that they were not aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Simoes suggested the possibility of fielding joint candidates from the Congress and RGP for the Zilla Panchayat election, but claimed that the RGP was not open to such an arrangement.[19] In response Parab took to Twitter to assert that his party was not for sale and accused the Congress party of being affiliated with the BJP.[20]
In the by-elections, Parab's party was defeated in all three constituencies by the BJP. In the Reis Magos constituency, Korgaonkar secured the second position but lost to the BJP candidate, Sandeep Kashinath Bandodkar, by a margin of 4,244 votes. Similarly, Gama, the RGP candidate for the Cortalim constituency, finished as the runner-up, losing by a margin of 2,942 votes to an independent candidate, Merciana Mendes E Vaz, who was backed by the BJP.[21] In the Davorlim constituency, Rebello came in fourth place, losing to the BJP candidate, Paresh Naik, by a margin of 3,296 votes.[22]
Meet with regional parties leaders
In October 2022, Parab made an announcement regarding the party's approach to engaging with leaders from regional parties across the country.[23] During a press conference in Panaji, Parab emphasized the RGP's commitment to its ideology and expressed its intention to reintroduce the POGO Bill in the state legislative assembly. Parab also held meetings with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray in Mumbai. Parab clarified that the RGP maintains its independence from any specific political party and positioned itself as the principal opposition to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming 2027 Goa assembly polls. He further emphasized that the contest would primarily involve the RGP and the BJP. Parab remarked that the Revolutionary Goans Party has developed its own distinctive revolutionary model, differentiating itself from the approach of the Shiv Sena (SHS).[24]
