Panaji
: A lower-than-expected turnout of 81%, no major poll issue, too many candidates and uncertainty among voters has left Saturday’s assembly polls for the 40-member House open ended, with no clear winner in sight. The elections, which are considered crucial for defence minister
Manohar Parrikar and Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, is now sealed, as 251 candidates wait for the ballot boxes to open on March 11.
With just about 9 lakh of the 11.1 lakh voters exercising their franchise, it is anybody’s guess who will form the next government in the tiniest state in the country. The election commission early in the evening announced that Goa witnessed a record voter turnout of 83%—in 2012, Goa had seen 81.7% voting—only to rectify late in the night that it was well short of the record.
The election also saw parties resorting to ‘strategic voting’, with several parties after realizing that they were not in a position to win, tried to transfer votes from their cadre to a winnable independent candidate. It was to ensure that the main rival parties didn’t win the seat.
Reports said that denials notwithstanding, constituencies like St Cruz, St Andre and
Cortalim
saw some
BJP leaders adopting this strategy to fight the Congress. MGP and
Congress workers are also learnt to have done in a couple of seats to defeat BJP candidates, sources said.
For the defence minister, Goa election was a matter of prestige. He was the chief strategist of BJP and the one who controlled the poll campaign. Parrikar addressed not only public meetings across the state but also several corner meetings (which are attended by around 40-50 people) and visited some slum areas too.
As for Kejriwal, AAP plans to expand its base in other states if they achieve success in Goa.
Even veteran poll managers of political parties are uncertain of the number of seats their party would be able to win. There is apprehension among top politicians over the silence of voters in many constituencies.
Analysts say it was an indication of vote for a change.
The youth is also a factor in the election as they constitute 40% in the age group of 18-40. Of the 11.1 lakh voters, around 33,000 are first time voters and this could be of much relief to the BJP, an observer said, adding that BJP had tried hard to woo them including with government schemes. High women voter turnout is also claimed by BJP to go in their favour.
Presence of too many candidates and absence of alliance of like-minded parties are the main factors for the uncertainty. In many constituencies, there were 6-7 candidates with Velim topping with 12 contestants.
There are many factors behind the most intriguing electoral battle in Goa in recent times. Goa saw twin divorces–between Congress and NCP on one hand and BJP and MGP on the other. To make matters worse for BJP, MGP tied up with another right wing outfit, Goa Suraksha Manch, floated by rebel RSS chief Subhash Velingkar.
Probably, this is the first time that in Goa, the BJP has to contest against a right wing outfit, whose core group is from its parent body RSS. BJP was already fighting anti-incumbency and there was talk of “arrogance” among the BJP functionaries,
The Congress had its own problems—it stretched the process of selection of candidates and alliance far too long. This gave the party less time to campaign. And similarly those waiting for an alliance–NCP and Goa Forward–also became victims of the delay, analysts say. The entry of AAP has had its impact more on Congress, as the “Delhi party”, as it is known here, has made a dent in the national party’s stronghold in south Goa.
Speaking to STOI, BJP state president Vinay Tendulkar said people have come out to vote in favour of development and the schemes implemented by the state government. “Large number of turnout will benefit the BJP in polls and we will win around 26 seats without independents,” Tendulkar said
He also said that around 32,000 more women have come out to vote in this election indicating they are happy with the state government which has implemented various schemes to empower women.
“There is increase of 800 to 900 women votes in each constituency, which will directly benefit the BJP,” he added.
The Congress also claimed that it was winning the election. “This is a vote against the BJP government and its arrogance. People were waiting for this day to teach the BJP a lesson,” said AICC secretary
Girish Chodankar
.
“The Congress corrected its past mistake and gave the people what they aspired. We gave young and new candidates and we are sure they will get the mandate,” he claimed.
The polling for all the 40 seats were by and large peaceful. There were tense moments in Margao, Curtorim and Searailim when a group of workers belonging to Congress and BJP clashed at Sada, leaving one person injured.
Malfunctioning of some EVMs also resulted in repoll in one booth in Margao.
One person died after he suffered a heart attack outside a polling station in Panaji before he could cast his vote.
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