Polling begins for 2 Lok Sabha seats in Goa

Panaji: Polling began Tuesday morning for both the Lok Sabha seats in Goa, where 16 candidates are in the fray.

Voting began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm, an election official said.

More than 11 lakh voters in the coastal state are eligible to exercise their franchise in North Goa and South Goa seats, where the ruling BJP and opposition Congress are locked in a straight fight.

The contest in North Goa has BJP MP Shripad Naik taking on Congress' Ramakant Khalap. In South Goa, the BJP has fielded entrepreneur Pallavi Dempo against Navy-veteran-turned politician Viriato Fernandes of the Congress.

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

Sixteen candidates, eight each in North and South Goa Lok Sabha constituencies, are in the fray.

Goa has 11,79,644 voters, including 5,80,710 in North Goa and 5,98,934 in South Goa. They include 5,71,617 men, 6,07,715 women and 12 members of the transgender community.

A total of 1,725 polling stations have been set up across the coastal state, including 863 in North Goa and 862 in South Goa.

To empower women voters and promote gender equality, 40 dedicated polling stations, also known as 'pink booths', have been set up in both districts, the official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah campaigned for the BJP, while the Congress roped in its senior leaders Shashi Tharoor and Pawan Khera for the campaigns in the state.