Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: In just about a few hours from now, it will be clear if the “double-engine-led development” poll post of the ruling BJP helped it retain power in Goa.
Marred with an anti-incumbency wave, for the BJP under Dr Pramod Sawant, it will be a prestige issue to retain State for the third consecutive term, while Congress, eyeing for government formation, is making all efforts to ensure the 2017 fiasco is not repeated.
This is the ruling BJP’s first election after the death of four-time chief minister and former defence minister Manohar Parrikar- who was known for his election strategies to form a government. A litmus test of sorts, the BJP is banking on the poll plank of development and Parrikar’s legacy this election.
With no exit poll giving a clear majority to any of the national parties in Goa, the regional parties like MGP and independents will be kingdom makers, with both BJP and Congress eyeing to get their support post result.
For the first time in Goa, counting of votes of all 40-Assembly constituencies will be taken up together from 8. am onwards, and the results are expected to be declared within three-four hours.
Over 9.26 lakh electorate that included 4,42,718 male and 4,84,122 female voters had exercised their franchise on February 14. Total 301 candidates are in the fray across 40 Assembly seats.
In North Goa, counting will be held at Government Polytechnic, Altinho, Panjim and in the South, counting will take place at Damodar College of Commerce and Economics in Margao.
Parties such as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) have campaigned aggressively to establish their base.
The coastal State witnessed a multi-cornered contest with smaller regional parties such as Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Goa Forward Party (GFP) and over 80 independents who may play a crucial role in case of a hung assembly.
BJP, who went all alone this election, contesting all 40 seats for the first time in the State history, is facing rebellion in several constituencies like Panjim, Mandrem, Priol, Canacona, Mayem, Saligao, among others.
Congress, on the other hand, joined hands with GFP. While Congress contested 37 seats, GFP fought on three seats.
TMC-MGP forged alliance to contest 39 seats-TMC (26) and MGP (13).
The Aam Aadmi Party contested across 39 constituencies and the newly formed Revolutionary Goans.
The Shiv Sena-NCP alliance is contesting in 25 seats.
Five former Goa chief ministers – Digambar Kamat (Congress), Ravi Naik (BJP), Churchill Alemao (TMC), Laxmikant Parsekar (independent) and Pramod Sawant (BJP) – are in the fray in this closely contested election.
Out of 40 constituencies in the State, 19 constituencies will be taken up for counting in North and 21 in South. The observers appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for counting arrived in Goa on Monday. Nearly 1,400 staff would be deployed for the counting process.
Officials said that the counting would begin with postal ballots at 8 am, followed by EVM counting. There will be five to seven counting rounds before results are declared.
A three-layered security cover is deployed at the counting stations.
