BJP will win over 22 Assembly seats in Goa; PM has conveyed best wishes: CM Sawant

Panaji: 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.

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.

Voting began at 7 am will conclude at 6 pm in the single-phase elections in the coastal state, where 301 candidates are in the fray for the 40 Assembly seats.

“The prime minister called me over phone around 7 am to convey his best wishes to me and all the BJP workers for the polling day, and gave his blessings,” Sawant, who is contesting the election from the Sankhalim Assembly seat, told PTI.

Sawant said the PM’s call further boosted the morale of the BJP workers to work for the party’s victory. The BJP will win more than 22 seats in the state, he claimed.

Asked whether he would remain the chief minister if the BJP wins, Sawant said there should be on doubt about it in the wake of announcements made (in this regard) by PM Modi and party national president J P Nadda.

“It is obvious that I would be the chief minister as the present election is being fought under my leadership,” he said.

In the morning, Governor P S Sridharan Pillai was among the early voters. He cast his vote at a booth in Taleigao Assembly constituency in North Goa district.

Till 9 am, the state recorded 11.4 per cent voting, as per the Election Commission.