Panaji, Feb 12 (IANS): As election campaigning for the February 14 Goa Assembly polls came to a close on Friday, leaders of all the major political parties in the fray expressed confidence of winning the elections.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which has continued with incumbent Chief Minister Pramod Sawant as the party's face for the top slot, said that the promise of a double-engine BJP government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and a BJP government in Goa is the party's key USP.

"People want to see development and a double-engine government is the only way. The Centre has provided unprecedented financial assistance to Goa from 2014 and ushered the state on the path of development," Sawant told a press conference in Panaji.

The BJP is contesting all the 40 seats in the state for the first time in the upcoming polls. The ruling party's battle cry for the elections is '22-plus seats in 2022'.

The main opposition party, Congress, also expressed confidence of winning the elections, with All India Congress Committee senior observer for Goa P. Chidambaram stating that the party would not even need a post-poll alliance to come to power when the votes are eventually counted on March 10.

"I don't think that situation will arise. We think, and we are confident that we will get a simple majority," Chidambaram said.

The Aam Aadmi Party, which had started the freebie trend during this election campaign by promising free electricity and doles for women and unemployed youth, has also expressed confidence, claiming popular response to AAP's poll promises.

"We forced the government to bring a scheme related to free water. We stand by our commitment related to free electricity, 24x7 water supply and medicines," AAP state convener Rahul Mahambre said.

The Trinamool Congress is contesting the February 14 elections in alliance with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. Speaking on behalf of the alliance, former Deputy CM Sudin Dhavalikar said that the "massive corruption" would sink the BJP in the upcoming elections.

"The Trinamool is fighting the elections on the basis of basic amenities. We urge the people to come out and vote for change. Corruption is increasing day-by-day. Earlier, the reason for that was the Congress and now it is the BJP," Dhavalikar told reporters.