Anti-incumbency, secularism in focus as campaigning ends

PANAJI: High-octane campaigning for the two Lok Sabha seats in Goa came to an end on Sunday evening, with the electorate opting to stay silent.
The silence has kept everyone guessing. While BJP is banking on 'yahi mauka hai, sahi mauka hai', Congress is counting on 'abhi nahi toh kabhi nahi'.
At the end of the campaign, BJP state president Sadanand Shet Tanavade claimed the party will win both seats with huge margins after managing to bring all factions, in all constituencies, together.
Congress, though, believes voters are on its side. "We are fighting elections on real issues and not asking votes on Modi factor or Ram mandir like BJP," said Goa congress chief Amit Patkar.
Revolutionary Goans, who grabbed attention with a 10% vote share and one seat at the last assembly elections, have based their campaign around saving Goa's identity and feel their chances are "very good".
In North Goa, five-time MP and Union minister Shripad Naik (BJP) is being largely challenged by former Union minister Ramakant Khalap (Congress), with RG supremo Manoj Parab adding to the equation. It's a straightforward contest between industrialist Pallavi Dempo (BJP) and Kargil war veteran Capt Viriato Fernandes (Cong) for the South Goa seat.
Factors like anti-incumbency, archbishop's circular to vote for a secular candidate, unemployment, ST reservation for assembly election, coal handling, double tracking of southwestern railway and development could prove to be crucial this election.
In the north, BJP candidate Shripad Naik is seeking a record sixth term. Even though the saffron party is aware of the anti-incumbency their candidate is facing, it is confident of once again retaining the seat, considering its organisational strength and the number of legislators-18 out of 20-on its side. Congress, though, remains hopeful that anti-incumbency will give them an added advantage.
In South, where the presence of a strong minority community may be advantageous to Congress, BJP has tried to unite all factions in Hindu-dominated constituencies to secure victory. For Congress, minority-dominated constituencies in Salcete taluka hold the key. "South will be a closely-fought battle," said one political observer.
BJP has won the North seat continuously for the last 25 years, so it's no surprise that the party has turned its focus to South. Chief minister Pramod Sawant has been camping there since the last few days to try and win back the seat it lost by less than 10,000 votes in 2019.
The ST community could play an important role at these elections. A faction of the ST community has declared its support to Congress candidates after being assured that the next chief minister would be from the ST community.
"The ST community is divided in around three to four factions with some extending support to BJP. It would be interesting to see which way the community votes," a political observer said.
"This is a prestigious election for Sawant," said another observer. "He must win both the seats to prove his mettle."