Panaji, Mar 3 (IANS): Polling for the single phase Goa assembly elections for 40 assembly seats began here Saturday morning.

The electorate numbering 1,026,306 - men 511,111 and women 515,195 - will seal the fate of 215 candidates, including nine women candidates.

The voters will exercise their franchise in two districts of Goa -- north Goa accounting for 23 assembly segments and south Goa for 17 assembly segments.

The main contest is between the ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress Party alliance and the Bharatiya Janata Party-Maharashtrwadi Gomantak Party alliance. The Trinamool Congress, a new entrant in Goa's political canvas, has fielded 20 candidates.

Other parties like the Samajwadi Party, the Samajwadi Janata Party, the Republican Party of India and the Janata Dal-Secular are also contesting, along with regional parties like the Goa Vikas Party and the United Goan Democratic party (UGDP).

Civil society have come together under the banner of the Zagrut Goenkarancho
Ekvott (ZGE) and fielded 10 candidates for the elections.

Ballotting will be spread across 1,612 polling stations, and several units of para military forces have been deployed for security.

The assembly constituency with maximum number of candidates is Vasco-da-Gama.

Votes will be counted March 6.