PM Modi congratulates Manohar Parrikar on bypoll win
After his stint as the defence minister, Parrikar had returned to state politics in March.
New Delhi: 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 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 BJP-led 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.