Parrikar, Rane win Panaji and Valpoi Assembly bypolls

The BJP won two key seats in the Goa bypolls, with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane winning in Panaji and Valpoi, respectively.

With these results, BJP, which doesn’t have a majority on its own in the Assembly, now has 14 seats in the 40-member House, and the coalition government that it heads has the support of 24 members. The Congress’ tally remains at 16.

Mr. Parrikar got 9862 votes, while his nearest rival, Congress Secretary Girish Chodankar polled 5059 votes. Anand Shirdokar of the Goa Suraksha Manch polled 220 votes.

In Valpoi, at the end of fourth and final round, Mr. Rane polled 16167 votes, while his nearest rival Roy Naik of Congress who polled 6101 votes.