Goa Elections: 215 candidates in fray for 40 Assembly seats in Goa

PANAJI: A total of 215 candidates, nine of them women, are in the fray for 40 Assembly seats in Goa which goes to the polls on March 3.

Election Commission officials said 62 nomination forms were either rejected or withdrawn, leaving 215 candidates in the fray.

Today was the last day for withdrawal of nominations. The highest number of candidates - 11 - are in Vasco constituency, followed by Saligao (10) and Pernem-SC (9), as per the data furnished by the Commission.

There are eight candidates each in Fatorda, Cuncolim and St Cruz segments.

The Opposition BJP-MGP alliance has not fielded any woman nominee although they are fighting on 39 seats. The alliance, however, is supporting Independent woman candidate Nirmala Sawant in Cumbharjua constituency.

The ruling Congress-NCP alliance, which is contesting on all the 40 seats, has fielded three women.

Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, which is making electoral debut in the tiny coastal state, has two women in its list of 20 nominees.