Counting for votes begins in Goa

Panaji (Goa) [India], March 10 (ANI): Counting of votes to the Goa assembly elections began on Thursday to decide the fate of the 301 candidates from 40 Assembly seats.
At 8 am today strong rooms were opened in the presence of candidates and observers.
Postal ballots will be taken to the counting halls through a dedicated corridor of security personnel.
Speaking to ANI South Goa District Collector Ruchika Katyal said, “The strong rooms have just been opened in the presence of candidates and observers. Postal ballots will be taken to the counting halls through a dedicated corridor of security personnel. Counting for South Goa will be done at Damodar College.”
Amid predictions of a hung assembly, leaders of BJP and Congress in Goa would be keeping a close watch on the results of assembly elections on Thursday to assess their chances of forming government in the state.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has expressed confidence in the BJP forming the next government in the state. The Congress, which is also hopeful of forming the government, has asked its candidates to stay at a hotel to prevent any attempt at “poaching”. The party’s leaders in Goa are learnt to be in touch with state leaders of Trinamool Congress and Aam Aadmi Party “to prevent BJP from returning to power” in the state.
BJP fought the election on all 40 seats in the state while the Goa Forward Party (GFP) entered into a pre-poll alliance with Congress. Trinamool Congress allied with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party.
The exit polls have predicted a neck-to-neck fight between BJP and the Congress-led alliance. In the 2017 assembly polls, Congress had emerged as the single largest party winning 17 seats, but the BJP moved swiftly and formed government after roping in the support of regional parties and independent MLAs.
The BJP contested this election without Manohar Parrikar, its tall leader from the state. His son Utpal contested from Panaji seat as an independent candidate after BJP did not give him ticket from the seat. The BJP has fielded Atanasio “Babush” Monserrate from the constituency. (ANI)