BJP , Cong candidates, including Shripad Naik and Pallavi Dempo, cast their votes in Goa's LS polls

Union Minister of State for Tourism, Shripad Naik, expressed confidence on Tuesday that voters would elect Narendra Modi as Prime Minister for a third term as polling commenced in Goa for two Lok Sabha seats.

 

Naik, who is contesting as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from North Goa, cast his ballot in the Ribandar polling booth of the Panaji assembly constituency. He remarked, "There is joy among voters to see Narendra Modi as Prime Minister again. There are chances that the voting percentage will increase this time."

 

Highlighting the significance of the election, Naik stated, "This is not a local election. This election is to elect the Prime Minister. Any local issues can be resolved. There is no negative wave against us."

 

Joining the electorate were prominent figures including Goa Governor P. S. Sreedharan Pillai and the First Lady Adv. Reetha Sreedharan, who exercised their voting rights from Government Primary & High School in Dona Paula.

 

Other candidates, such as BJP's South Goa candidate Pallavi Dempo, North Goa Congress candidate Adv. Ramakant Khalap, and South Goa Congress candidate Capt. Viriato Fernandes, also participated in the voting process.

 

Goa, with a total of 1,179,344 registered voters, saw 580,577 voters in North Goa and 598,767 in South Goa. The Chief Electoral Office of Goa set up 1,725 polling stations across the state, with 863 stationed in North Goa and 862 in South Goa, to ensure accessible voting opportunities for all eligible citizens.