Voting for the zilla panchayat (ZP) election in Goa, which has 203 contestants from 48 electoral districts, started on Saturday morning.
The voting procedure begun at 8 a.m. and is expected to end at 5 p.m.
The ZP survey is the first major state polling exercise since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
43 candidates were nominated by the BJP, while 38 candidates were nominated by the Congress, led by the Aam Aadmi Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party with 17 each.
There are also 79 independent candidates in the group.
“We are confident of winning these elections. I have been touring across Goa and there is a palpable support for the BJP because of the development projects undertaken by our government,” said Sadanand Shet Tanavade, BJP Head of State.
Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat also expressed confidence about the Congress winning the polls.
“Goa is going through a troublesome stage and our economic condition is poor. You can see the number of protests in Goa against the decisions of the government. This will reflect in the election results,” Kamat said.
State Election Commissioner Chokha Ram Garg has urged voters to step out and participate in the elections, which were originally scheduled to be held on March 22.
The ZP polls were postponed after the Centre imposed a nationwide lockdown from March 25 to curb the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
Goa has 50 Zilla Panchayat seats, but one unopposed candidate has already been declared victorious, while a candidate contesting from the Navelim seat in South Goa district has died, forcing the State Election Commission to countermand polling in the constituency.
Covid-19 patients will be allowed to exercise their franchise only during the last hour of polling, provided they wear full PPE kits.
