Goa polls after local panchayat elections

Assembly elections in Goa will be announced after the completion of panchayat polls, CEC indicated to a BJP delegation.

Assembly elections in Goa will be announced after the completion of panchayat polls, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami indicated to a BJP delegation on Tuesday.

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A BJP delegation led by former Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who is in-charge of Goa, met Gopalaswami to demand an early announcement of the assembly elections.

Rudy said the CEC made it clear that, since the panchayat elections have already been notified, the assembly polls would take place only afterwards. The Commission would not interfere with the panchayat polls.

Rudy said the CEC had, however, said the Commission would take into account the possibility an early monsoon before deciding the dates.

The BJP team alleged large-scale transfers and announcement of sops by the Congress government in Goa with an eye on the assembly polls.