PANJIM: The four-week-long political campaign for the February 14 Goa Legislative Assembly elections, ended on Saturday evening, after some last-minute aggressive campaigning by the ruling BJP and opposition Congress.
While BJP is fighting its first big election in the absence of Manohar Parrikar, and is seeking a third term in power, the Congress is banking that the election will pave the way for its return to government.
A record number of 301 candidates, including 82 independents are in the fray for the 40 Assembly seats.
On Saturday evening, the election process reached the crucial silent period of 48 hours that will culminate with polling on Monday. With campaigning ending at 6pm, Section 144 of CrPC has come into force across the State, wherein the assembly of five or more persons (including contesting candidates and workers) will be deemed unlawful.
Simultaneously, there can be no processions or rallies under the garb of house to house visits or corner meetings.
“The attention is drawn of all the candidates that campaigning period ends on February 12 at 6pm,” Additional CEO Narayan Sawant said.
Moments before the campaign ended, parties addressed the media making claims of being in position of getting a victory.
The BJP is looking for a third term in government. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant claimed that the BJP will form the next government.
Senior Congress Election Observer P Chidambaram said that only Congress can replace BJP in Goa.
AAP State convenor Rahul Mhambre said that the party which has changed Delhi with its honest leadership and development vision, stands as an alternative to the BJP in Goa.
TMC’s Mahua Moitra urged Goans to vote out the BJP stating her party was the only one committed to the cause of ousting the BJP.
Polling for the 40 Assembly seats will be held across 1722 polling stations from 7am to 6pm on Monday, with the final hour dedicated to COVID-19 patients.
Electioneering initially remained low key due to restrictions imposed by the ECI in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as the norms were eased campaigning picked up.
BJP is contesting all 40 Assembly seats, while Congress and GFP together are in contention in all seats. MGP and TMC in alliance are contesting 39 seats, so too is AAP, while Shiv Sena are together fighting in 23 seats. RGP has fielded candidates in 38 constituencies.
The Congress charge was led by former AICC President and MP Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, who scaled up the intensity of party’s campaign by visiting the State twice and addressed election meetings. Also the TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee campaigned for TMC-MGP candidates.
The main issues during the campaigning were growing unemployment, corruption, inflation, coal hub and three controversial projects. The Congress has promised to scrap three linear projects and coal hub, if voted to power.
