Report and pics from Rajtilak Naik in Panaji
for Daijiworld Media Network - Goa (MB)
Panaji, Jun 2: When the polling for the assembly seats ended at 5 pm on Saturday, 73% of the electorate had exercised its franchise.
Except for some minor incidents and a few cases of arrest, the polling was otherwise peaceful.
Despite of the rain hitting the state in the morning which continued on till late afternoon, voters still managed to step out with their Umbrellas to cast their Votes.
Till afternoon the polling rate was going very slow on account of the rains but in the evening session the rate suddenly went high because of the dry spell.
Police trying to arrest a person at a polling booth in Panaji
The rain effect
A vigilant para-military force jawan keeping guard at a booth at Santa Cruz, considered hypersensitive
People waiting for their turn with their umbrellas
Police were also affected with the rain
Daijiworld's special correspondent adds:
Typical to Goa, the electioneering went incident-free, except for minor skirmishes reported between groups at a few polling booths. Of the 10.10 lac voters, huge response was witnessed in the first hour of morning when long queues were seen. But later rains dampened the spirit, with percentage deepening till 11 o'clock.
Though the rain continued till noon, people were seen arriving at polling booth in large numbers. The momentum picked up post-noon when rains subsided and the serpentine queues were seen in various polling booths especially in rural talukas.
The polling will decide the fate of 202 candidates, including chief minister Pratapsinh Rane, in this politically volatile state.
Besides six former chief ministers, leader of the opposition Manohar Parrikar (Panaji) and speaker Fransisco Sardinha (Curtorim) are also in the fray.
The central para military forces had kept strict vigil at sensitive constituencies in the state. The election commission has mapped 86 sensitive and 50 hypersensitive constituencies in north goa while 93 sensitive and 27 hypersensitive constituencies in south Goa.
The most sensitive constituencies of Taleigao, St Cruz and Navelim, had peaceful electioneering.
Congress-NCP combine is contesting 38 seats, BJP 33, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) 26, Communist Party of India four, Goa Suraj Party one, Janata Dal (S) 12, Republican Party of India (A) four, United Goans Democratic Party 11, Shiv Sena seven and former Congress MP Churchill Alemao-led Save Goa Front 17 seats.
Though the deadline to appear at polling booth ended at 5 pm, the long queues were seen even till 7 pm.
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