Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa is set to vote on Monday to elect a new government. All 40 State Legislative Assembly seats are up for grabs.
The over 11 lakh strong electorate will choose from 301 candidates fielded by various parties and also independents. Counting will take place on March 10.
While the Congress party appears to have played it safe having fielded a number of new faces, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has opted for the ‘old wine in a new bottle’ formula by re-nominating 22 outgoing MLAs and five former MLAs for the polls.
In the 2017 polls the BJP’s tally had been reduced to 13 but it had managed to cross the magic number of 21 seats in the 40-Member Assembly with the support of nine legislators – three each from regional Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and three Independents.
Later, the BJP’s strength increased as 13 Congress rebels switched over within three years. Though seven of the sitting MLAs quit BJP ahead of the 2022 Assembly, it somehow blew over the resentment within the party and fielded 22 sitting legislators and five ex-MLAs.
It is learnt that the BJP’s strategy of retaining most of the old faces was to keep the flock together and to avoid any dissent in the run-up to the elections.
On the other hand, the Congress for the first time took a firm decision not to re-admit defectors and fielded a large number of new faces. The Congress had to face the mortification of 15 MLAs deserting the party during the five-year term, which makes Leader of the Opposition the only sitting MLA re-contesting the election on the party’s symbol.
Besides him, the Congress has fielded six former MLAs, including three from the present Assembly, who resigned as legislators and joined the party.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) inducted two former Ministers each and gave them tickets to contest the election for their traditional constituencies. Similarly, the MGP and Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) coalition have fielded two former ministers and equal number of ex-MLAs.
There are 18 women candidates in the fray. The TMC had fielded four women candidates followed by three by AAP, two each by Congress, BJP, Shiv Sena and Revolutionary Goans, one by MGP and two Independents.
Three women candidates are trying their luck in Taleigao constituency and two women each are vying for Navelim, Fatorda and Sanguem seats. The other women candidates contesting elections are from Tivim, Siolim, Taleigao, Cumbarjua, Valpoi, Cortalim, and Dabolim constituencies.
