High turnout in North Goa gives BJP upper hand in battle of 2 warhorses

Panaji: With the voter turnout in the Lok Sabha election in Goa being high, BJP is likely to have an edge over Congress in North Goa, which recorded 76.54% voting on Tuesday.

Both BJP and Congress are claiming victory in North Goa based on the significant turnout. BJP said that the vote is for Viksit Bharat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantees. For its part, Congress said that people came out in large numbers to bring about a change in the North.

Though all political parties have stated that the electorate has supported them strongly, silent voters and young people are expected to play a vital role in determining the election’s outcome.

BJP’s presence was observed at every booth in the North, whereas Congress workers were seen only in a few assembly constituencies such as Calangute, Siolim, Mayem, St Cruz, St Andre, and Aldona.

Five-time MP and Union minister of state Shripad Naik of BJP is pitted against former Union minister Ramakant Khalap of Congress in this election. They last squared off against each other in the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, and Khalap lost.

In the current election, poll watchers said, Congress was unable to capitalise on the resentment and the anti-incumbency pressures faced by Naik. BJP is expected to achieve substantial leads in Sattari and Bicholim talukas and do well in the remaining talukas of the state, including Bardez, Pernem, and Tiswadi.

RGP’s presence was noted in some constituencies. It will be interesting to see if it can increase its vote share of 5%, secured in the 2022 assembly elections.

In Pernem, young people are dissatisfied with Naik due to the unemployment crisis, political observers said. Khalap, who served as a six-time MLA in Mandrem, is expected to outperform Naik in Pernem. An observer said that Khalap enjoys goodwill in Pernem though most political bigwigs there, including the current MLAs and former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar, are affiliated with BJP.

Congress is expected to have a considerable advantage in approximately six of the 20 assembly constituencies.

‘Panna pramukhs’ (people in charge of electoral roll pages) have done the groundwork for BJP in identifying sympathetic voters and reaching out to them. The pramukhs are also tasked with persuading other voters to push the lotus button.

The organisation of Congress was creaky on the ground and no additional efforts were made to connect with voters on the polling day.

The major issues highlighted by voters in North Goa were the increase in unemployment and the lack of development, although these were not apparent on the day of the election, according to a political observer. BJP has been winning the North Goa seat since 1999.

“The presence of karyakartas in the field, a strong organisation, and 18 MLAs out of twenty being on BJP’s side are some of the factors that go in the party’s favour,” a political observer said.

Besides Naik and Khalap, others competing for the North Goa seat are RG’s Manoj Parab, BSP’s Milan Vaingankar, Akhil Bhartiya Parivar Party’s Sakharam Naik, and independents Thomas Augustine Fernandes, Vishal Naik, and Shakeel Jamal Shaikh.

As for Naik, he said BJP has drawn a positive response. “I will get a lead of around 1.5 lakh votes. MLAs have to work harder than the karyakartas,” he said. The MLAs have worked harder than they did in the assembly elections.”

Khalap said, “We will win the election. I am confident because there is an upsurge. I am contesting after a long time and that is the reason people are happy and are with me.”

Parab said that RGP has been working on the ground over the past two years.

“We have a good chance to win the election and people need change. We will get positive results,” Parab said.


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