Luck failed him again in the Assembly polls in 1999. By then BJP had become an established player in the coastal state, notorious for political volatility and defections, which often led to toppling of governments.
"My only consolation was that I managed to save my deposit," Parsekar said. Undeterred by the setback, he again contested the Assembly election in 2002 and emerged a giant killer, defeating MGP's Khalap, then considered "invincible", by a wafer-thin margin of 750 votes.
There was no looking back for Parsekar ever since.
In 2007, he doubled his victory margin and was re-elected in 2012 when BJP posted a remarkable victory, winning 21 of the 40 Assembly seats.
It was a landmark election as after a long time a party had won a clear majority in the Assembly, fuelling hopes of political stability.
Parsekar, who then headed the Goa unit of BJP, was rewarded with a Cabinet berth in the BJP-MGP coalition government led by Parrikar.
Parsekar's unflinching loyalty to BJP and strong RSS links saw him quell a challenge from Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza and leapfrog to the CM's chair.
