Cong's Girish Chodankar to contest from Panaji

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today approved the candidature of Girish Chodankar and Roy Ravi Naik for bypolls to Panaji and Valpoi seats in Goa respectively.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is likely to contest from Panaji after quitting the Rajya Sabha.
The bypolls will be held on August 23.
The notification for the byelections was issued on July 29.
While August 5 is the last date of filing nominations, August 9 is the last date of withdrawing from the electoral battle, an EC statement said.
The counting will take place on August 28.

Parrikar had represented the Panaji assembly seat in the Goa assembly till he was appointed Defence Minister in the Modi government.

With Parrikar becoming the chief minister again after the recent assembly polls, he should become an MLA within six months of taking oath.
Siddharth Kuncalienkar (BJP) had recently resigned from the Panaji seat to make way for Parrikar's election as MLA.
The bypoll to Valpoi seat in Goa was necessitated after sitting Congress MLA Vishwajeet Rane had resigned to join the BJP.