Parrikar for different, low-profile campaign in Goa

Promising a different but low-profile campaign for BJP in the state, Goa CM said the party's focus would be more on door-to-door campaigning.

Promising a different but low-profile campaign for BJP in the state, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today said the party's focus would be more on door-to-door campaigning to mobilise voters and less on massive rallies and public meetings.

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"We are hoping to change the campaign rules here by concentrating on specific door-to-door campaigns. We have more than 17,000 booth level workers in the state and we are confident that if each attracts at least 50 votes, we will win by a comfortable margin," Parrikar told reporters here.

"We do not believe in massive show of strength because the crowds do not necessarily convert into votes, besides causing a lot of hassle and expenditure. Instead, we would prefer to go about our work quietly," he said.

Dismissing notions that BJP is being "overconfident", the Chief Minister said "people can't lie to you, their body language, their attitude shows that we are going to win. The Congress has no structure, no unity. They have virtually given up control on half the state by giving Panaji seat to NCP."

Stating that the party is confident of garnering at least 1,50,000 votes in the Mormugoa constituency -- a Congress bastion -- he said "during our meetings, youth as well as aged persons were present in large numbers, which is indication that our base in that area is growing."

Party's national leaders like Sushma Swaraj, Varun Gandhi, Vinod Khanna as well as Dream Girl Hema Malini would be holding public meetings in Goa, he said.