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Few independents in Goa assembly polls

Since 1963, independents have always actively participated in the Goa assembly elections. But this time only a few have entered the poll arena.

Only 46 independents are contesting the Friday's assembly elections in the state against 154 that contested the 1994 elections.

Though no independent has so far won the elections in Goa so far, they have given a tough time to party candidates by grabbing a major chunk of votes.

In the last elections, as many as 9,983 votes were secured by only four independents in Santa Cruz constituency in north Goa out of the total 16,998 votes polled. The Congress won the seat by only 4,665 votes.

Of the 40 constituencies, 14 have no independent contestants, 13 have one independent each, while Ponda has the maximum of five independents.

Among the 46 independents, there is only one woman candidate, Tara Kerkar, who is locked in a nine-cornered contest in Mormugao.

With bleak prospects at the hustings, some independents this time have joined popular parties to contest the elections.

Murari Chopdekar, who contested from Mayem last time as an independent, is now fighting from the same constituency on a Congress ticket.

Similarly, Pandurang Raut,, a former independent, is contesting from Bicholim as a nominee of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).

But there are others who have shed their party status to contest as independents. Prominent among them are former Congressman Ashok Naik Salgaonkar from Siolim and Antonio Gaonkar, an MLA of the United Goans Democratic Party from Curtorim.

UNI

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