11 Goa Municipalities to go to polls on Sunday

PANAJI: Eleven Municipalities in Goa will go to the polls on Sunday, an electoral exercise that is expected to be an acid test on the popularity of the ruling BJP, which came to power in the State in 2012.

Important towns going to the polls, for which campaigning ended today, include Mapusa, Margao and Vasco da Gama, all crucial electoral constituencies in Goa politics.

More than 685 candidates are in the fray for 159 civic wards, State Chief Election Commissioner M Modassir said at a press conference here.

"Campaigning came to a close at 5 pm today. We have had no untoward incidents during the campaign process," he said.

Modassir said he expected the October 25 elections to "generally remain under control."

While the elections are not being held on party lines, the ruling as well as Opposition parties and their respective leaders have put up 'panels' of candidates whom they have endorsed and whose success will be used to gauge the popularity of the BJP-led Government, which is barely a year and a half away from completing its term.

A total of 2.37 lakh electors are eligible to cast their vote. The coastal State has 13 urban civic bodies.