61% voting till 3 pm in two Lok Sabha seats in Goa

A voter turnout of 61 per cent was witnessed in the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Goa till 3 pm in the third phase of the general elections on Tuesday, officials said.

As per data shared by the election authorities, 61.28 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in North Goa, while 61.5 per cent turnout was recorded in South Goa.

Polling at 1,725 centres, 863 in North Goa and 862 in South Goa, began at 7 am.

The early voters included Pallavi Dempo (BJP, South Goa), Viariato Fernandes (Congress, South Goa), Rubert Pereira (RGP, South Goa), Shripad Naik (BJP, North Goa), Ramakant Khalif (Congress, North Goa) and Manoj Parab (RGP, North Goa).

While there were no queues outside polling stations in the first few hours, voters started stepping out later in the day.

Talking to PTI, Goa assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar said his assembly constituency of Canacona will record more than 80 per cent turnout, and more votes would mean an advantage for the BJP.

State Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Desai said voters had come out in large numbers to vote for the BJP and claimed that a booth in his Sanguem assembly constituency recorded 100 per cent voting till 3 pm.

Congress leader Girish Chodankar, however, refused to concede that it is an advantage for the BJP, citing that more voter turnout meant that people voted against the establishment.

More than 11 lakh voters were eligible to exercise their franchise for elections to the two Lok Sabha seats in Goa.

In North Goa, the Congress has fielded Ramakant Khalap against sitting MP Shripad Naik of the BJP, while in Sout Goa, entrepreneur Pallavi Dempo is taking on Navy veteran Viriato Fernandes of the Congress.

The South Goa Lok Sabha seat is currently held by Congress' Francisco Sardinha.

A total of 16 candidates, eight were in the fray in North and South Goa Lok Sabha constituencies each