The fate of the BJP-led State government headed by Manohar Parrikar was decided on Monday, both Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane winning the Panaji and Valpoi bypolls respectively.
With these results, BJP now has 14 seats in 40 Member House and the coalition government has 24 members supporting it while the Congress remains at 16.
Live updates:
10.00 am: Vishwajit Rane wins Valpoi bypoll.
At the end of the fourth and final round, Mr. Rane has polled a total of 16167 votes while his nearest rival Roy Naik of the Congress has polled 6101 votes.
In the elections held on August 23, 15,538 votes had been polled in Panaji while 23,038 votes were polled in Valpoi.
With these results, BJP now has 14 seats in the 40 Member House and the coalition government it heads has the support of 24 members. The Congress tally remains at 16.
9.50 am: Vishwajit Rane gets an unassailable lead of 9291 votes at the end of the third round of counting, in Valpoi.
Mr. Rane secured 14684 votes, while Roy Naik of Congress secured 5387 votes.
9.45 am: In Valpoi, at the end of the second round, BJP’s Vishwajit Rane leads by 7591 votes against Roy Naik of the Congress.
V. Rane has secured 10476 votes, Mr. Roy has secured 2885 votes and Mr. R. S. Gaonkar has got 225 votes. NOTA has registered 302 votes.
9.30 am: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) has won the Panaji by-election by defeating Girish Chodankar of the Congress by a margin of 4803 votes.
Mr. Parrikar has secured 9862 votes while Mr. Chodankar has polled 5059 votes. Mr. Anand Shirdokar of the Goa Suraksha Manch polled 220 votes.
In Valpoi, BJP’s Vishwajit Rane is leading by 6000 votes at the end of second round.
9.00 am: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane are leading by over 4000 and 3000 votes, respectively, over their nearest rivals at the end of the second round of counting of votes for the two Assembly seats, when reports last came in.
8.00 am: Counting begins
7.45 am: Why did Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar have to contest a bypoll?
7.30 am: The bypolls were held in the Panaji and Valpoi Assembly constituencies last week.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar contested against All India Congress Committee Secretary Girish Chodankar and Goa Suraksha Manch president Anand Shirdokar in Panaji.
Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane is contesting against Roy Naik from Congress in Valpoi. Mr. Rane had resigned as the Congress MLA and joined BJP.
