Goa Lok Sabha elections result: BJP wins in North Goa, Congress win in South

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It's a repeat of 2019 in Goa. According to trends at 5 pm, Indian National Congress (INC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) both have bagged one seat each in the state. BJP's Shripad Yesso Naik won in North Goa with a margin of over 1.13 lakh, while in South Goa, Captain Viriato Fernandes of the Congress won with a margin of 13,535.

Trends at 3.15 pm: In North Goa, Shripad Yesso Naik from BJP is ahead of Congress' Ramakant Khalap by a margin of over 1.1 lakh votes. In South Goa, Captain Viriato Fernandes of the Congress is leading with 2,15,672 votes. He is followed by BJP's Pallavi Shrinivas Dempo with 2,00,969 votes.

Trends at 4.15 pm: In North Goa, Shripad Yesso Naik from BJP is ahead of Congress' Ramakant Khalap by a margin of over 1.13 lakh votes. In South Goa, Captain Viriato Fernandes of the Congress is leading with 2,16,022 votes. He is followed by BJP's Pallavi Shrinivas Dempo with 2,01,086 votes.

The 2024 Lok Sabha election in Goa assumes great significance for both BJP and Congress, as each party currently (2019 Lok Sabha elections) holds one seat in the state. Congress's Cosme Francisco Caitano Sardinha is the outgoing MP from South Goa while BJP's Shripad Yesso Naik represents North Goa.

In 2024, Sripad Yesso Naik, a five-term Member of Parliament and Union Minister of State for Tourism and Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, is contesting from the BJP.  On the opposing side, the Congress-led INDIA bloc has nominated veteran politician and former Union Law Minister, Ramakant Khalap, aged 76.

Over the years, several regional parties have also emerged in Goa, making the political contest here more complex and competitive. For instance, regional parties such as the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Goa Forward Party (GFP) have also taken up political space in the state for championing local issues.

Some of these parties have entered into alliances with both Congress and BJP to form the state government. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has also been focusing on Goa over the last few years. In 2024, it is contesting the elections in alliance with its INDIA bloc ally Congress.

In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP won both the constituencies in the state with an impressive vote share of 53.4 percent. However, in 2019, the Congress managed to win a seat in the South Goa. The vote share in the 2019 general election was 51.2 percent for BJP and 42.9 percent for Congress.

The News18 Mega Exit Poll projects BJP and Congress to be locked in a neck-and-neck battle. The exit poll has predicted both BJP and Congress to bag one seat each when the final results are declared on June 4.