Panaji, Dec 11 (IANS): Nearly 7.91 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the Zilla Panchayat elections scheduled in Goa on December 12, the first major polling exercise in the state since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the BJP has fielded 43 candidates in the 48 seats which will go to the polls on Saturday, the Congress has fielded 38 candidates, followed by the Aam Aadmi Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party with 17 each. There are also 79 Independent candidates in the fray.

"We are confident of winning these elections. I have been touring across Goa and there is palpable support for the BJP because of the development projects undertaken by our government," said state BJP chief Sadanand Shet Tanavade.

Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat also expressed confidence about the Congress winning the polls.

"Goa is going through a troublesome stage and our economic condition is poor. You can see the number of protests in Goa against the decisions of the government. This will reflect in the election results," Kamat said.

Goa has 50 Zilla Panchayat seats, but one unopposed candidate has already been declared victorious, while a candidate contesting from the Navelim seat in South Goa district has died, forcing the State Election Commission to countermand polling in the constituency.

The polling for the Zilla Panchayat elections was originally scheduled to be held on March 22 and campaigning for the polls had already been carried out by candidates of different political parties. But the polls were postponed after the Central government imposed a nationwide lockdown from March 25 to control the Covid-19 pandemic.