Wednesday, June 1 2005 11:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Panaji: The stage is set for tomorrow's (Jun 2, 2005) crucial by-polls to five Assembly constituencies in Goa, under President's rule and where the Legislature is kept in suspended animation, whose outcome could rekindle efforts to form a popular Government in the State.

The five vacancies - Taleigao, Cambarjua, Benaulim, Margoa and Poinguinim - resulted from the resignation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs, reducing the then Manohar Parrikar Government to a minority.

The State, which was brought under President's rule on March 4, has been rocked by repeated political turmoil with Congress-led United Legislature Party (ULP) and BJP enjoying razor-thin majority and frequent change of political loyalties by MLAs belonging to either side of the political divide.

An estimated 1.16-lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 22 candidates, including former BJP Ministers Atabasio "babush" Monseratte, Digambar Kamat and Pandurang Madkaikar, who are now contesting the by-polls on a Congress ticket.

On May 26, the Panaji Bench of the Mumbai High Court set aside the election of two BJP MLAs - Rajendra Arlekar from Vasco seat and Dayanand Mandrekar from Siolim seat - on the grounds that the two held the "office of profit" during the May 2002 Assembly polls.

With this, BJP's tally of seats is reduced to 14 MLAs in a House with an effective strength of 34 and the support of one United Goan Democratic Party (UGDP) while the Congress and its allies have strength of 17.

Taleigao constituency in North Goa has the highest number of six candidates, followed by five in Cumbharjua, four each in Margoa and Benaulim and three candidates in Poinguinim.

Taleigao is likely to witness the main fight between Congress' Monserrate and BJP's Pradeep Nagvenkar.

Former Congress President Nirmala Sawant, who resigned from the party on May 11 in protest against the ticket being given to archrival Pandurang Madkaikar, is contesting from Cumbarjua constituency.

Former Tourism Minister Francisco Pacheco, who had joined hands with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), will contest Benaulim seat.

In South Goa's Margao Assembly seat, number two in erstwhile Manohar Parrikar Government, Digambar Kamat, who resigned from BJP, is in fray.

Except for Margao, the other four seats of Taleigao, Cumbarjua, Poinguinim and Benaulim, were won last time by parties other than BJP and the MLAs later joined the party and the Parrikar Government.

Parties like the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and UGDP, which are allies in Congress led ULP, have also fielded candidates in Cumbarjua and Benaulim.

Counting of votes will be taken up on June 5.