BREAKING: Goa Assembly Polls Could Be Held In Nov-end, All Depends On Covid Situation

PANAJI: If sources are to be believed, both in the Goa government and the State Election Commission (SEC), the Goa State Assembly elections could be preponed and held as early as November-end this year.

A senior Goa SEC official told this reporter, “it all depends on the Covid situation in the state. If there is no third wave, the polls could be even held during November-end. However, if a Covid third wave surfaces in the next two months, the elections would be held either in January-end or February next year.

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The SEC is making preparations for polls and its machinery has already swung into action silently. The SEC is expected to be prepared to hold elections even 2-3 months earlier than the normal schedule and preparations are being made accordingly for the same in Goa.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will decide on the dates for the State Assembly Elections, after seeking reports from the SEC, which is involved in ground-level planning and other election preparedness including updating voter lists and the local law and order situation.

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The ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) Goa unit has started its campaign in the coastal state in full force, with the CM and all party MLAs preparing for polls, as though they were being held next month.

Last month, in response to media queries, the Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had ruled out speculations about early Assembly elections.

Speculations were rife about the possibility of early polls after the ruling BJP began a massive statewide campaign in mid-August.

Sawant and State BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanavade began touring the State, visiting each constituency and meeting karyakartas and party workers.

“There is no possibility of early elections. The polls will be held on time in February next year, not before that,” the Chief Minister had said last month.

However, political analysts do not take this declaration seriously. The BJP is in power both in the State as well as at the Centre. They can literally ‘order’ the SEC to hold polls as per their convenience, to the disadvantage of opposition parties.