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With the withdrawal of 27 independent, 210 contestants finally remain in the fray for the Goa assembly polls scheduled for 30 May.
The Congress is the only party contesting all the 40 assembly seats.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has left one seat - Velim - for Philip Neri Rodrigues, an ally.
As the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress failed to broker an alliance, the state unit of the NCP led by former chief minister Dr Wilfred D'Souza is fielding 20 candidates, half of what was announced earlier.
It has accommodated three Congress rebels, including a former minister Jose Philip D'Souza, who had quit the BJP government soon after the dissolution of the state assembly on February 27.
The others are Rahul Pereira (Quepem constituency) and Ulhas Naik (Poinguinim).
The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (25 seats) and the United Goans Democratic Party (10 seats) will contest as an alliance.
Unlike its senior partner, the UGDP has accommodated four Congress rebels.
They are former minister Monte Cruz (Fatorda), former MLA Victor Gonsalves (St Cruz), Babush Monserette (Taleigao) and Micky Pacheco (Benaulim).
Besides 46 independents, which includes several rebel candidates of the Congress and the BJP, the Shiv Sena (15 seats), Left parties (6) and Goa Suraj Party (10) - a newly formed party of senior educated citizens of the state - are also in the fray.
At least eight former chief ministers are in the fray, five from the Congress alone, including Pratapsing Rane, Luizinho Faleiro, Francisco Sardinha, Churchill Alemao and Ravi Naik.
The others are Shashikala Kakodkar (MGP) and Dr Wilfred D'Souza (NCP), besides BJP chief minister Manohar Parrikar.
A continuous stream of defections and petty politics has condemned the state to suffer short-lived governments and political instability.
In fact, Ravi Naik was the deputy chief minister in the BJP government till last week though he has left the party now.
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be used in all the constituencies.
More reports on the Goa polls
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