Parrikar elected in Panaji, AAP wins in Bawana
Panaji/New Delhi, Aug. 28: Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar was elected to the Legislative Assembly from Panaji as ruling parties retained three seats in as many states, and BJP wrested one from the Congress in the August 23 bypolls whose results were declared on Monday.
Mr Parrikar, who returned to state politics in March this year after a stint as the defence minister, defeated his nearest Congress rival Girish Chodankar, considered close to Congress vicepresident Rahul Gandhi, by 4,803 votes.
Mr Parrikar, who had been winning the seat since 1994, resigned in November 2014 to join the Union Cabinet. BJP leader Sidharth Kuncolienkar, who won the subsequent by-poll from Panaji and retained the seat in the 2017 elections, had stepped down to make way for Mr Parrikar’s election.
BJP’s Vishwajit Rane, who had quit the Congress soon after the Assembly elections, retained Valpoi seat, defeating his nearest Congress rival Roy Naik of the Congress by 10,066 votes, taking the saffron party’s tally in the 40member House to 14.
With 16 MLAs, Congress is still the single largest party, while Goa Forward Party (GFP) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) have three MLAs each, NCP one, and independents three. The BJP-led ruling coalition comprises GFP, MGP and the three independents.
After a string of electoral reverses in Punjab and Goa, Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party somewhat redeemed itself with a win in Bawana Assembly constituency where its candidate Ram Chander trounced BJP’s Ved Prakash, an AAP turncoat, by over 24,000 votes. Three-time former MLA Surendra Kumar of Congress finished third.
Ved Prakash, who had won the Bawana seat as AAP nominee in 2015,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar on winning the Panaji Assembly bypoll, describing it as “impressive.”
Mr Modi also congratulated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its candidate Bhuma Brahmananda Reddy on the “big victory” in the Nandyal bypoll in Andhra Pradesh.
BJP’s Vishwajit Rane, who had quit the Congress soon after the Goa Assembly elections, retained Valpoi seat, defeating his nearest Congress rival Roy Naik by 10,066 votes, taking the saffron party’s tally in the 40-member House to 14.
Mr Modi also congratulated Mr Rane on his electoral victory. The bypolls were held in three states for total four seats on August 23. Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won the Bawana Assembly bypoll. AAP’s Ram Chander defeated his nearest rival
I am thankful to the people of Panaji who elected me. It’s a repeat of the 2012 Assembly polls. It is a vote for my govt’s performance Manohar Parrikar, Goa CM
from the BJP, Ved Prakash, an AAP turncoat.
Mr Parrikar, the former defence minister, won by 4,803 votes, defeating his rival from Congress, Girish Chodankar, and is now a member of the state legislative Assembly.
“Congrats to @manoharparrikar & @visrane for the impressive wins in Panaji & Valpoi respectively. I thank the people of Goa for their support,” Mr Modi tweeted.
After his stint as the defence minister, Mr Parrikar had returned to state politics in March. Before joining the Union Cabinet, he had been winning the Panaji seat since 1994.
BJP leader Sidharth Kuncolienkar, who won the subsequent bypoll from Panaji and retained the seat in the 2017 elections, stepped down to make way for Mr Parrikar’s election.
With 16 MLAs, Congress is still the single largest party, while Goa Forward Party (GFP) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), with three MLAs each and three independent candidates, are part of the BJPled ruling coalition government.
“I am thankful to the people of Panaji who elected me. It’s a repeat of the 2012 Assembly elections,” Mr Parrikar said soon after the result was declared. He said it was a vote for his government’s performance and his personal connect with people.