The candidates – a large chunk of them independents – will spend a sleepless night doing some last minute campaigning. Except for the BJP, no political party has fielded candidates for the Mapusa elections; the Congress has only supported eight candidates. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was expected to field candidates to ascertain its strength, but surprisingly, it has stayed away from the election.

Seen as crucial for Deputy Chief Minister and Mapusa MLA Francis D’Souza, the election could indicate what is in store for the assembly polls. The presence of rebels and independents has kept the BJP on its toes.

Around 30,834 voters – 15,296 males and 15,538 females – will exercise their franchise in Mapusa. From the 86 candidates, 52 are male and 34 are female. Eight candidates are contesting from Ward 3, while Wards 9, 14, 17 and 20 will have seven candidates each. There will be one-on-ones in Wards 5, 7, 8, 13 and 19.

The Mapusa Returning Officer and Deputy Collector Pundalik Khorjuvekar stated that sufficient police personnel will be deputed to all 42 booths to ensure a peaceful election. He added that there are no ‘sensitive’ booths and the counting of votes will begin at Peddem sports ground on Tuesday morning.