Poll of polls (Goa): Only 3 out of 8 surveys indicate BJP to emerge as single largest party

New Delhi, Mar 7: The ruling BJP is unlikely to emerge victorious in the recently-held assembly elections in Goa, as per the polls. Out of eight, only three polls have indicated that the saffron party might get more seats than its rival party Congress in the 40-member assembly.

However, no party is crossing the 21-seat mark to independently form their government on their own. AAP and others are expected to play a key role in forming the next government in the coastal state, if we have to go by the polls.

See Poll of Polls

The single-phase polling was held on February 14 in Goa for the 40 assembly seats which passed off peacefully with no untoward incident being reported from any part of the state.

Electoral fate of 301 candidates were locked in EVMs which will be opened on March 10 for counting.

The main contest in Panaji lies between Utpal Parrikar, son of the late chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who is contesting as an Independent after the BJP denied him a ticket, against sitting BJP MLA Atanasio Monserrate.

Over 11 lakh people were eligible to cast their votes in Goa. They included 9,590 people with disabilities, 2,997 aged over 80 years, 41 sex workers and nine transgenders.

Goa witnessed a multi-cornered contest with the entry of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Local Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party, which has tied up with TMC, and the Goa Forward Party, which stitched an alliance with Congress, are also in the fray against the ruling BJP.

The NCP and Shiv Sena have also fielded candidates.