Goa heading again for a hung assembly

New Delhi:As surmised by analysts and political commentators who follow politics in Goa, the state is once again heading for a repeat performance of 2017 with a hung assembly in the current elections.

This was revealed by the final results of the C Voter ABP News opinion poll released on the evening of February 7. The poll results also show that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is on its way to becoming a serious player in Goa politics.

According to the results of the poll, the BJP is projected to win between 14 to 18 seats, well short of the majority mark of 21 seats in the Goa assembly which has 40 seats.

Far from gaining from anti incumbency after 10 years of BJP rule, the Congress is projected to win between 12 seats, 10 to 14 seats, way behind the majority mark.

The AAP had won no seats in 2017. That’s set to change. It is projected to win between 4 to 8 seats. The MGP retains its identity as a regional party, projected to win between 3 to 7 seats.

If the polls turn out to be true, there will be two major implications in national politics. The AAP would have emerged as a still small but nevertheless a party with a national footprint. It is in power in Delhi, set to win Punjab and make a mark in Uttarakhand as a party that has arrived.

A decent performance even in Goa would do wonders to the image and stature of party leader Arvind Kejriwal. The reverse would be true of the Congress and Rahul Gandhi if it fails to retain Punjab and fail to win Uttarakhand and Goa. (IANS)