Goa, Jan. 16 -- A record 81.77 per cent of the registered 3,88,432 voters cast their ballot at the historic Opinion Poll on January 16, 1967. Anti-merger won by a margin of 34,021 votes as it got 1,72,191 votes against the 1,38,170 cast in favour or merger.

Significantly, Salcete was truly the turning point as all five constituencies voted overwhelmingly against the merger thus giving an unassailable lead of 40,275 votes. In Benaulim and Curtorim, not even 1,000 votes were cast in favour of merger with Benaulim recording the lowest vote of 629 for merger.

In North Goa, Siolim, Aldona and Mapusa where the anti-merger votes were more than the pro-merger. While Sattari piled on the prop merger votes wiping out the anti- merger resistance, ...