Wednesday’s by-election, forced on the state by Mr Churchill Alemao’s resignation from Parliament, is expected to pull in a low voter turnout, given the political uncertainty at the Centre.

The Congress which has a definite edge over the BJP in its traditional South Goa stronghold, has nonetheless been compelled to sweat it out to counter the anti-SEZ campaign in this election.

Fifteen SEZs were proposed for Goa under former chief minister Pratapsinh Rane, seven of these were cleared by the Centre earlier this year. Among these are, Cipla’s pharma unit, K Raheja’s IT enabled services park, Rajiv Piramal’s biotech park and gem and jewellery units, and Salgaocar’s IT and ITES park.

The BJP is alleging a scam in the allotment of land to SEZ units under the Goa Industrial Development Corporation and has asked that the SEZs be scrapped.

Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said on Friday that the approved SEZs would not be touched, but the pending eight projects were being put on hold by the Centre at the state’s request. He also promised an investigation into the allotment and pricing of the SEZ land soon after the bypoll.