Team Herald
PANJIM: After a month of waiting, the D-Day has finally come for the candidates of the Lok Sabha and Assembly by-polls in four constituencies.
The counting of votes of both the Lok Sabha constituencies and four assembly constituencies would be held on Thursday at Government Polytechnic Altino, Panjim (for North) and at Borda Multipurpose Hall, Margao (for South).
The counting of votes for North District, which includes a Lok Sabha constituency and three assembly constituencies – Panjim, Mapusa and Mandrem would be held at Panjim Poliytechnic, while for South Goa which includes one Lok Sabha and Shiroda Assembly constituency would be held in Margao.
District Election Officer R Menaka said that the counting will start at 8 a.m., while it will continue till midnight because along with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the manual counting of VVPATs from five booths of each Assembly constituencies would taken up to match the figures.
She said that the results would start coming by afternoon with counting for assembly by-elections likely to get over faster than that of Lok Sabha. Total 72.04 per cent people have voted for Lok Sabha elections that were held on April 23, exactly a month ago.
LS candidates
Former Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik will look to get elected for the fifth record time from North Goa Lok Sabha seat on BJP ticket.
He has a strong challenge from Congress candidate Girish Chodankar and AAP’s Pradeep Padgaonkar.
Republican Party of India’s (RPI) Amit Korgaonkar and two independent candidates – Aishwarya Salgaonkar and Bhagwan Kamat are also in the fray.
In South Goa constituency, BJP has fielded its sitting MP Narendra Sawaikar who is contesting against former CM and Congress candidate Francis Sardinha and AAP’s Elvis Gomes.
Shiv Sena has fielded its State Vice President Rakhi Prabhudesai Naik while Independents – Kalidas Vaigankar and Mayur Kankonkar – are also contesting from this seat.
By-elections
More than the Lok Sabha elections, which are just two seats from Goa, it is the by-elections in four constituencies of Mandrem, Mapusa, Panjim and Shiroda which has generated much hype in Goa.
The result could also have an impact on the continuation of the Pramod Sawant-led coalition government.
BJP is facing a tough challenge in all four constituencies and it seems to have become a battle for survival for the saffron brigade.
BJP has fielded its former MLA Sidharth Kuncalienker in Panjim constituency against former minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate who is contesting on the Congress ticket.
Former Goa RSS chief Subhash Velingkar is contesting from this constituency on Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) ticket, while two independents — Dilip Ghadi and Vijay More are also in the fray.
In Mapusa assembly constituency, where the by-poll was necessitated due to the demise of sitting MLA Francis D’Souza; his son Joshua is contesting on the BJP ticket against Sudhir Kandolkar of Congress.
AAP has fielded Shekhar Naik as its candidate while Nandan Sawant is contesting on GSM ticket. Two other candidates Ashish Shirodkar and Sudesh Asotikar are also in the fray as independents.
In Mandrem assembly constituency, BJP candidate Dayanand Sopte is contesting against Babi Bagkar of Congress, Swaroop Naik of GSM and an independent candidate Jeet Arolkar. BJP has fielded Subhash Shirodkar in Shiroda Assembly constituency who is contesting against Mahadev Naik of Congress and Deepak Dhavalikar of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party.
AAP has fielded Yogesh Khandeparkar as its candidate while Santosh Satarkar is contesting on GSM ticket.
BJP confident of 6-0 win
BJP State president Vinay Tendular says that his party is confident of a 6-0 win the 2 LS and 4 by-polls.
Not only the four by-polls, Tendulkar is also optimistic of winning South Goa Lok Sabha seat, wherein Adv Narendra Sawaikar is their candidate.
“We will win the South Goa seat with more than 4,000 margin,” Tendulkar said adding that his karyalkartas have done a very excellent job.
Tendulkar said that though there were some reservations against BJP by a certain section, a lot of people have voted for BJP because they want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to continue as PM.
“Even people we don’t know have voted for Modi in Goa,” We are 100% sure we will win three seats. In Panjim we have a tough fight but we will win the seat,” he said.
AAP hopeful of victory
Rejecting exit polls outrightly, Aam Admi Party (AAP) Goa has hinted at how the conduct of the exit polls is suspicious.
AAP’s Goa Unit Convener Elvis Gomes pointed out to previous exit polls that ultimately were proven wrong after the poll results.
“We have seen many exit polls in the past which have gone awfully wrong. There are many factors surrounding the exit polls and questions raised to prolonged elections, EVMs, model code of conduct, etc. In my very own constituency the EVM was replaced,” he commented claiming that AAP is hopeful of the victory just like AAP’s win in the 2015 elections in Delhi.
Cong confident of winning LS, by-polls
Congress is geared up and looking forward to the counting day with the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) leaders as well as MLAs expected to be present at the counting centres on Thursday.
GPCC president and North Goa Lok Sabha (LS) candidate Girish Chodankar, while expressing confidence of wining the LS and Assembly by-polls said “We will be there and we are prepared to face any eventuality. We have more trust and confidence in the people.”
Commenting on the exit polls, he said that Congress does not believe in them and will wait to see the people’s mandate. On the controversy surrounding the EVMs he said, “The onus is on Election Commission to come clean and this is the minimum expectation of everyone.”
