Exit polls announced on March 7 predicted that Goa’s fiercely fought assembly elections will result in a fractured mandate. According to a Zee-Designboxed poll, the Congress is expected to win 14-19 seats, the BJP 13-18, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) 0 and others 4-11. The number 21 represents the midway point in the majority.
On February 14, all 40 assembly seats of Goa, a western coastal state, went to the elections in a single round. The state’s election war gained national media attention since it included not only the BJP and the Congress, but also the AAP, which governs Delhi, and the TMC, which governs West Bengal.
Despite being the single-largest party in the 2017 assembly elections, Congress was unable to depose the BJP from power. It had won 17 of the 40 seats, falling four seats shy of a two-thirds majority.
The BJP, on the other hand, implemented a successful campaign that resulted in the reintegration of former Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward Party supporters. The coalition administration was led by BJP veteran Manohar Parrikar, whose return to the state was made a condition for allies’ support.
However, in early 2020, Parrikar passed away from pancreatic cancer. Pramod Sawant was named as the next chief minister after his death. Both the BJP and the Congress haven’t announced their nominees for the head of state.