Panaji: The BJP and Congress are in close contention in the 40-seat Assembly in Goa, for the election of 2017. With Congress taking an early lead and BJP on its tail, Goa might be looking at a hung Assembly.
Congress maintains the lead with 17 seats. BJP and others have won 13 and 10 seats respectively.
Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar resigned after loss.
Addressing the press, post-result declaration, he said, "The track record of development will have a serious and severe setback. And I am scared that Goa would be pushed back at least by 10 years. But it is the people's mandate. We have accepted it."
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which made a serious bid in the electoral politics of the coastal state, failed to open account in the 40 seat.
State Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar (BJP) loses to Goa Forward nominee Jayesh Salgaoncar by 2,150 votes in Saligao constituency.
Former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat (Congress) wins from Margao constituency, defeating BJP candidate Sharmad Pai Raiturcar by 4,900 votes.
Former Goa CM and NCP leader Churchill Alemao wins from Benaulim constituency.
Goa Forward candidate Vinod Palyekar defeats BJP candidate and State minister Dayanand Mandrekar in Siolim constituency.
Goa Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza of BJP defeated his nearest rival Vinod Phadke of the MGP in Mapusa constituency by a margin of 6,806 votes against Phadke, who is also the Secretary of Goa Cricket Association.
Former Goa CM and Congress leader Pratapsingh Rane wins from Poriem constituency.
Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar of BJP loses his seat to Dayanand Sopte in Mandrem constituency.
AAP CM candidate for Goa, Elvis Gomes is currently at third position in Cuncolim, Congress first, Independent second.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar of BJP trails leading Congress candidate Dayanand Sopte by 3,826 votes in Mandrem constituency. And Francisco C. J. A. De Pinto E Souza of BJP leads from Mapusa.
The counting of votes began at 8 am. Counting for 19 north Goa constituencies is being held at Panaji and for 21 south Goa constituencies in Madgaon city.
The voter turnout was at an all time high, at 83% for 2017, with a total of 250 contestants in the fray.
All eyes will be set on BJP, which is likely to field Union Minister Manohar Parrikar as their chief ministerial candidate, after the party was declared the victor in the poll predictions of C-Voter-India TV, India Today-Axis and India News-MRC.
BJP has put up 36 aspirants, Congress 37 and AAP is contesting on 39 seats and each of them backing independents in a few seats.
BJP, which had a pre-poll alliance in 2012, is going it alone this time after the MGP snapped the partnership and forged a front with Goa Suraksha Manch floated by RSS rebel Subhas Velingkar and Shiv Sena.
In 2012, the BJP-Maharashtrawadi Gomantak had defeated incumbent Congress led by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, getting 24 of Goa’s 40 seats. The BJP won 21 seats. Between the two, they lapped up a vote share of 41 per cent.
In 2014, the BJP picked up both Lok Sabha seats in Goa – taking one away from the Congress.
