Assembly elections 2022: BJP will win over 22 seats in Goa, says CM Pramod Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday claimed the BJP will win more than 22 seats in the 40-member state Assembly, the polling for which is currently underway, and said he will continue to hold the top post if his party forms government in the coastal state.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant who is contesting State Assembly elections from the Sanquelim constituency on Monday cast his vote Kothambi seat after offering prayers at Shree Rudreshwar Devasthan in Harvalem with his wife.

Sawant expressed confidence that Bharatiya Janata Party will again form the government in Goa with the majority.

After casting his vote at a booth in Sankhalim constituency of North Goa district, Sawant also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to him in the morning over phone and conveyed his best wishes for the Assembly polls.

"I have cast my vote. I appeal to the public to come out in huge numbers to vote. BJP government's work is in front of everyone. Utpal Parrikar (independent) and Michael Lobo (Congress) won't win as BJP is coming with a majority," Pramod Sawant told media persons.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi called me in the morning today to give his best wishes. I am fully confident that BJP will win 22+ seats. The infrastructure development by BJP in 10 years and Prime minister's self-reliant vision will definitely benefit us with a 100 per cent majority," the chief minister added.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is contesting from the Sanquelim constituency against Congress' Dharamesh Saglani while the BJP candidate from Margao seat, Manohar Ajgaonkar has been pitched against Congress nominee Digambar Vasant Kamat.

Goa Assembly has a strength of 40 members out of which the BJP currently has 17 legislators and enjoys the support of legislators from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Vijay Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), and three independents. The GFP and MGP each have three MLAs, and Congress, on the other hand, has 15 MLAs in the house. The counting of votes in Goa will take place on March 10.

(With inputs from Agencies)