Ahead of the third phase of polling scheduled for May 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to address a public meeting in South Goa's Vasco town today (April 27) for BJP candidates in fray from the coastal state for the Lok Sabha polls. This is PM's maiden campaign rally in the coastal state for the Lok Sabha elections.
According to BJP's state president Sadanand Shet Tanavade, PM Modi's public meeting is scheduled to commence at 5 pm today.
Goa CM Pramod Sawant told PTI that more than 50,000 people are likely to turn up at PM Modi's election rally today, adding that "BJP is all set to win both the Lok Sabha seats in Goa."
South Goa constituency will go for voting on May 7 during the third phase, per the Election Commission's schedule.
The saffron party has fielded entrepreneur Pallavi Dempo and Union minister Shripad Naik from South Goa and North Goa constituencies, respectively.
Vasco comes under the South Goa constituency.
Although North Goa constituency is a strong bastion of the saffron camp, with Shripad Naik securing victory repeatedly since 1999, the South Goa seat was last snatched by the BJP in 2014.
Back then, BJP's candidate Narendra Sawaikar had defeated Congress' Aleixo Lourenco to win the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from the South Goa seat.
In 2019, Congress' Cosme Francisco Caitano Sardinha won the South Goa seat by securing 2,01,561 votes against BJP's Narendra Sawaikar, who secured 1,91,806 votes.
BJP has fielded Pallavi Shrinivas Dempo from the South Goa seat, who will be competing against Congress' Captain Viriato Fernandes.
Naik exuded confidence that this time BJP would win both the constituencies in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
ALSO READ| Modi Is 'Rattled, Twisted My Speech': Goa Congress Candidate Disputes PM On Constitution Remarks