Poll campaigning ends today in Goa

The two-week-long official campaign by political parties and candidates for the February 4 Legislative Assembly elections will end on Thursday evening, 48 hours before polling closes. Unofficially, political parties, including BJP and Congress, had started their campaign in November last year.

There are 251 candidates in the fray in the 40 Assembly constituencies. The major parties in the fray are BJP, Congress, AAP and MGP and its allies, contesting on most seats, as well as 58 independent candidates and various other smaller regional parties. A total of 11.08 lakh voters are eligible to cast their vote at the 1642 polling booths.

During the campaign, BJP national leaders hinted at the possible ‘home coming’ of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to lead the State.

While



Congress preferred not to name their Chief Ministerial candidate, the MGP-led alliance with GSM and SS projected Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar as the chief minister candidate. AAP took the lead and announced former bureaucrat Elvis Gomes as their CM candidate.

The two district administrations have imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 from 5.00 pm of February 2 to 9.00 pm of February 4 in all assembly constituencies. “Any assembly of five or more persons (including contesting candidates and workers) will be deemed as unauthorised assembly u/s 141 of the Indian Penal Code and will be prohibited to avoid any procession or rally under the garb of house to house visits or corner meetings and to prevent any guidance and law and order problems,” the order stated.

Candidates have been asked not to ply their campaign vehicles during the period and there is also a ban on sale of liquor during this time.