Francisco Sardinha

Francisco Cosme Sardinha (born 15 April 1946) is an Indian politician who served as the seventh Chief Minister of Goa from 1999 to 2000. He also served as the Member of Parliament (MP), representing South Goa Lok Sabha constituency. Sardinha was the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly from February 2005 to June 2007. He is a senior leader of the Indian National Congress party, having won 6 times as MLA from Curtorim assembly and 4 times as Lok Sabha MP from South Goa constituency.

Personal life Francisco Sardinha was born on 15 April 1946 in Curtorim, South Goa district to Caetano Sardinha and Rosa Maria Sardinha. He is married to Maria Columba Sardinha since 23 May 1976. The couple have three sons.

Political career

Sardinha was a member of the Goa Legislative Assembly from 1977–1994. He held many portfolios in the Government of Goa under the Chief Ministership of Pratapsing Rane. He was elected to the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998 from Mormugao constituency in Goa.

He again became a member of the Goa Legislative Assembly in 1999 and remained in office till 2007.

In 1999, he broke away from the Indian National Congress and formed a new political party, the Goa People's Congress, and became Chief minister of a coalition government in the state. He remained in office till 2000.

Later, Sardinha's GPC merged with Indian National Congress on 5 April 2001. He became Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly in 2005.

He was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha in a by-election in November, 2007 from Mormugao. He was re-elected to the 15th Lok Sabha in 2009 from South Goa constituency.

Sardinha is credited with many pioneering contributions in Goa's development especially in education, agriculture, and sports. In his term as Member of Parliament (2009–2014), he was appointed Chairman of the Estimates Committee, the most prestigious committee of Lok Sabha. He was the 25th Chairman of the Committee since 1950 and one of the five longest-serving Chairmen.

Positions held From To Position 1. 1977 1980 MLA (1st term) from Curtorim 2. 1980 1984 MLA (2nd term) from Curtorim 3. 1984 1989 MLA (3rd term) from Curtorim 4. 1989 1994 MLA (4th term) from Curtorim 5. 1998 1999 MP (1st term) in 12th Lok Sabha from South Goa 6. 1999 2002 MLA (5th term) from Curtorim; Chief Minister of Goa (Nov 1999-Oct 2000) 7. 2002 2007 MLA (6th term) from Curtorim; Speaker of Goa Assembly (Feb 2005-Jun 2007) 8. 2007 2009 MP (2nd term) in 14th Lok Sabha from South Goa (by-poll) 9. 2009 2014 MP (3rd term) in 15th Lok Sabha from South Goa 10. 2019 2024 MP (4th term) in 17th Lok Sabha from South Goa