Panaji, Mar 6 (IANS): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will stake its claim to form the next government in Goa and would welcome the support of all independent candidates, state party president Laxmikant Parsenkar said Tuesday.

Parsenkar was speaking to reporters after winning the Mandrem assembly constituency seat by defeating his nearest rival, the Congress's Dayanand Sopte.

"The BJP will certainly be forming the government. It is as per the wishes of the people who were fed up of the corrupt NCP-Congress alliance, which failed on all fronts," Parsenkar said, adding that the BJP-Maharashtrawadi Gomantak party (MGP) alliance would win 24 to 25 seats in the 40-member Goa assembly.

The ruling Congress was trailing in Goa, with victories in just three seats as opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had won 12 seats after four hours of counting Tuesday.

Goa Vikas Party (GVP), a regional party, has won two seats, while two independents have emerged victorious.