THE GOAN NETWORK
CANACONA
Amid a fiercely contested election for the Canacona constituency, candidates are now conceding that their winning margins could be lower than expectation.
They are also eagerly banking on the nearly 840 postal ballot votes of the Canacona government staff, which are likely to play a decisive role in deciding the outcome of the election.
Canacona Congress candidate Janardhan Bhandari was initially confident of polling over 10,000 votes, but has now said he would still win the election but by a lower margin.
“In the worst-case scenario, I will poll nothing less than 8,400 votes, which is enough to overtake the seven other contestants in Canacona and get elected as MLA,” said Bhandari.
The BJP camp has also lowered its expectations about the votes it expects to secure.
The BJP had initially claimed it would be a one-sided election and it would secure 40% (11,500 votes) of the votes polled.
Their expectation has now been lowered and the BJP in Canacona hopes to secure 10,500 votes.
Independent candidate and ex-MLA Isidore Fernandes and his supporters also anticipate a close finish and Fernandes has anticipated he would secure at least 8,600 votes.
Besides the BJP, Congress and Fernandes, another independent candidate and ex-Canacona MLA Vijay Poi Khot is also expected to poll above 5,000 votes.
TMC candidate Mahadev Dessai, AAP candidate Adv Anoop Kudtarkar, RGP candidate Prashant Pagi are the other candidates in the fray.
Meanwhile, social activist Shankar Naik has called on election authorities to obtain the postal ballots of all government staff on a single day and by opening a polling booth at the district or taluka headquarters.
“Canvassing ended on the evening of February 12, but candidates and many government officials are still openly canvassing with government staff with postal ballots. This is not the way to conduct free and fair elections,” said Naik.
On any given day, election commission can open a polling station to facilitate postal ballot voting by the government staff and at the most, it can be extended by another day. But enabling a long period for postal ballots will give an opportunity for candidates and their aides to influence the government staff casting their postal ballots,” Naik added.
