As campaigning comes to close, Goa political parties express confidence ahead of Feb 14 polls

Leaders of major political parties and alliances expressed confidence of forming a government ahead of the February 14 assembly polls, as campaigning wound to a close on Saturday.

40 seats of the state legislative assembly are up for grabs in the forthcoming elections, with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress emerging as the frontrunners, with the Aam Aadmi Party and the Trinamool Congress-Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party alliance likely to play a secondary role when votes are eventually counted on March 10.

The ruling BJP, which faces severe anti-incumbency, internal rebellion and popular ire on account of corruption, a sex scandal linked to a now former cabinet minister and unemployment has expressed confidence of winning a majority on the upcoming polls, citing the benefits of a ‘double-engine’ government as its calling card.

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“People will vote BJP to form a government and not just to elect MLAs. We will form a government with majority,” Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said.

The Congress on the other hand, which has faced humiliation over the last five years over repeated desertion of its MLAs, has fielded 80 new candidates.

State Congress president Girish Chodankar now claims that the outfit heading into the elections is a ‘new Congress’, while describing the BJP, TMC and the AAP as the ‘old Congress’ on account of all the ex party leaders who had found refuge in these outfits.

“In this election, the old Congress is actually the BJP, TMC and the AAP. They have taken away all the old Congress leaders who have destroyed the party. The new Congress going to the elections has 80 percent new faces. We are confident of winning a majority this time,” state Congress president Girish Chodankar said.

Also Read | Modi distracting people of Goa from real issues: Rahul

While the Congress has promised to extend its Chhattisgarh government’s ‘Nyay’ initiative in Goa, with a promise to provide Rs. 6,000 to economically backward communities, the BJP has promised three free LPG cylinders a year for domestic consumers.

Rahul Mahambre, state convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, which started the electoral freebie ball rolling in Goa with promises of unemployment doles, doles for women and free electricity said that the party is committed to coming good on its promises.

“We forced the government to bring a scheme related to free water. We stand by our commitment related to free electricity, 24x7 water supply and medicines,” Mahambre said.

Former deputy Chief Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, also said that the TMC-MGP alliance would win the polls, adding that people in Goa are looking for change in the February 14 elections.

“Change is a must and people are coming forward to seeking change. Corruption is increasing day by day. The reason for that is Congress and now BJP. The BJP has taken corruption to new heights,” Dhavalikar said.

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