Goa on Saturday appeared heading for a hung Assembly with the ruling BJP and opposition Congress unlikely to cross the half-way mark in the 40-member House, putting the spotlight on smaller parties in government formation.
Here are the updates:
7.00 p.m.: BJP (13 seats) fails to get majority in Goa; Congress emerges single largest party bagging 17 seats in 40-member House.
6.18 p.m.: Most of the ministers in the BJP-led Government headed by Laxmikant Parsekar in Goa were defeated today apart from Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar who lost his sitting seat Mandrem.
5.00 p.m.: The Congress said it will seek support from like-minded parties to muster a majority and form the next government.
"We will not mind approaching like-minded parties such as Goa Forward if we require additional numbers to form the next government," AICC general secretary in-charge of Goa affairs Digvijay Singh told reporters.
4.00 p.m.: Goa has come out on the top when it comes to voters pressing the NOTA button, closely followed by Uttarakhand.
3.20 p.m.: Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane says, "This is the result of public trust in me and my promise to deliver.
Responding to a question about the defeat of BJP Chief Minister, Mr. Rane said it has become the habit of BJP ministers to make promises and then not perform them.
2.45 p.m.: It still seems to be a neck-and-neck contest between Congress (11 seats )and the BJP (10).
1.00 p.m.: Trails of the BJP
- Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar is trailing by 1,500 votes after the second round in Saleigao. - Forest Minister Rajendra Arlekar is trailing by 2,773 votes in Pernem. - MLA Kiran Kandolkar is trailing by 1,000 votes in Thivim.
12.30 p.m.: In Saleigao, Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar of the BJP is trailing after first round by 691 votes against Jayesh Salgaoncar of the Goa Forward. Minister for Forests Rajendra Arlekar of BJP is trailing against Babu alias Manohar Azgaonkar of the MGP in Pernem constituency by around 1,500 votes.
Zenifer Monserrate of the Congress has won by 2,955 votes against BJP's Dattaprasad Naik in Taleigao.
11.30 a.m.: Former Congress Minister Subhash Shirodkar wins in Shiroda by defeating BJP Industries Minister Mahadev Naik.
Deputy Chief Minister Francisco D'Souza of the BJP has won from Mapusa defeating Balu Fadke of the MGP by 6,729 votes.
11.15 a.m.: Francisco Silviera from St. Andre of the Congress has won the seat. Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar of the BJP loses to Congress' Dayanand Sobte by 3,826 votes in Mandrem constituency.
Vinod Palienkar of the Goa Forward has defeated Minister of Water Resources Dayanand Mandrekar in Siolim by 1,119 votes.
Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane has won from Poriem by defeating BJP's Vishwajit K. Rane by 4,286 votes. This is Mr. Rane's 11th consecutive win from 1972.
10.00 a.m.: Independent candidate Govind Gaude has defeated former Minister and MGP president Dipak Dhavlikar by appoximately 4,000 votes in Priol constituency.
In Mayem, Pravin Zatye of the BJP wins by 4,974 votes against Santosh Sawant of the Congress.
9.30 a.m.: As the first round of counting commences, the Congress leads in six seats and the BJP leads in five. Maharashtrawadi Gomantak and Goa Forward Party are leading in two and one seats each. Initial trends show the BJP trailing in Goa. Mr. Parsekar is trailing in the second round too.
9.00 a.m.: Pratapsingh Rane of the Congress is leading in Poriem constituency, while Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar is trailing in Mandrem against Dayanand Sobte.
Minister of Water Resources Dayanand Mandrekar of the BJP is trailing by 650 votes against Vinod Palyekar of Goa Forward. Pravin Zantey of the BJP is leading by 2,000 votes against Santosh Sawant of the Congress.
In Taleigao constituency, Zenifer Monserrate of the Congress leads. Francisco Silveira of the Congress leads in St. Andrem against Ramrao Wagh of the BJP by 900 votes after the first round.
8.15 a.m.: Counting of votes has begun for all 40 constituencies of the Goa Assembly at 8 a.m. at two centres in Panaji and Margao.
The postal ballots and votes polled by service voters are being taken up first before calculating the numbers on Electronic Voting Machines.
Tight security arrangements are in place with over 1,000 policemen at the two centres.
Election officials say counting will be completed by 2.30 p.m.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar prays at a temple opposite the BJP headquarters in Panaji on Saturday.
8 a.m.: Accusing the election authorities of not doing enough to check “liberal money distribution by rival candidates” all across Goa during the run-up to the Assembly polls, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said it had hired 1,000 spy cameras for distribution in the 40 constituencies to catch cash and liquor distributors in the act.
“Spy cams are being distributed in all the 40 constituencies. This job should have been done by the Election Commission, but we will keep an eye on malpractices and lodge a complaint as and when someone is caught on camera,” AAP national spokesperson Ashutosh said.
7.15 a.m.: The North and South Goa district administration have made elaborate arrangements for counting of the Assembly election votes, which will be taken up on Saturday morning.
Counting of votes for 19 North Goa constituencies will be taken up at Bal Bhavan, Campal. In South Goa, the counting will be done at Government College of Commerce and Economics, Borda, Margao. There will be 129 tables at the North Goa counting centre, and 100 in the South Goa centre.
6.00 a.m.: Goa Additional Chief Electoral Officer Narayan Navti told The Hindu on Friday that counting of votes will start at 8 a.m.
He said, “Counting of postal ballots would be taken up first and would have to be finished in half an hour.”
The North and South Goa district administration have made elaborate arrangements for counting of the Assembly election votes, which will be taken up on Saturday morning.
(With inputs from Agencies)
