Hectic lobbying, calls and calculations after exit poll leaves Goa hanging

Permutations and combinations will turn out to be an exciting game, says senior journalist K R Sreenivas

Goa Election 2022 Hectic lobbying, calls and calculation after exit poll leaves state hanging

Panaji, First Published Mar 7, 2022, 9:53 PM IST | Last Updated Mar 7, 2022, 9:53 PM IST

The exit polls for Goa declared on Monday evening has pushed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress to work overtime to get their magic number to form a government.

Both the BJP and the Congress are neck and neck in the exit polls and neither has a simple majority. Congress has got a maximum of 18 seats as per one exit poll, while the BJP has a minimum of 13 seats in the same poll. But other agencies have put out a closer contest.

Also Read: Goa Election 2022: Show is not over yet; the numbers game is on

Both parties are now calling and setting up meetings to push for support from possible winners from other political parties and Independents.

BJP is in touch with MGP, Revolutionary Goans and some probable winners among independent candidates including Goa Forward. The Congress too is talking to everyone and Congress insiders are confident of winning 21 seats despite Exit Poll results. Congress insiders point out to sentiments of Goans, which they claim nobody is understanding.

Goa Election 2022 Hectic lobbying, calls and calculation after exit poll leaves state hanging

"The anti-incumbency is huge, strong sentiments against the BJP in Goa, and hence even split in votes will not tilt the scales in favour of the BJP," a senior Congress leader said.

Countering Congress's claim immediately, BJP chief minister Pramod Sawant said the BJP will win more than 20 seats and form the government.

The Catholics of South Goa who felt cheated in 2017 when late Manohar Parrikar led BJP gobbled up numbers quickly to form a government despite Congress being the lead party winning 17 out of 40 seats. The BJP had won 14 seats, but the Congress could not form the government frustrating the Salcete voters, who wanted to see a Congress government.

The Catholics of Salcete felt it was an injustice to Congress. They vowed to work harder to ensure a Congress government in 2022. But the Exit polls is clearly showing a hung assembly, and if it plays out as per the prediction, then BJP has an advantage to pull the required numbers. Though one has to see who are the others winning the seats.

Goa Forward, NCP, Shiv Sena, TMC may back the Congress, MGP, and Revolutionary Goans may line up behind BJP. If AAP does win seats, one will have to see whom they will back. If Independents do win, again it is anybody’s guess who they will back. Permutations and combinations will turn out to be an exciting game.

Also Read: Goa Election 2022: CM Pramod Sawant confident of BJP winning 22 out of 40 seats

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