Crucial assembly bypolls for four seats in Delhi, Goa, AP
What's the story
Assembly bypolls are underway for four seats: Andhra Pradesh's Nandyal, Delhi's Bawana, and Goa's Valpoi and Panaji. These seats are crucial and involve high stakes for the involved parties. Voting will end at 5 pm. Votes will be counted on August 28. Bypolls are held when an assembly or Lok Sabha seat has fallen vacant due to a member's untimely removal from the post.
Bawana
A three-party prestige fight in Delhi
Delhi's Bypoll is being conducted as AAP's Ved Parkash quit his seat to re-join BJP. It is crucial for AAP, which suffered losses in several elections, and Congress, which has faced continuous defeats. BJP requires a win to increase its presence as AAP has majority in the Assembly. Parkash is recontesting for Bawana from BJP. From AAP, it's Ram Chandra, and Surender Kumar from Congress.
Nandyal
In Andhra, it's TDP versus YSR Congress
In Andhra, this has turned into a high-decibel campaign with CM Chandrababu Naidu (TDP) and Leader of Opposition YS Jaganmohan Reddy (YSR) leading their parties' charge. Congress has been reduced to a mere spectator. This bypoll, necessitated due to death of the sitting MLA, is considered a "litmus test" for 2019. The candidates are Bhuma Brahmananda Reddy (TDP), Silpa Mohan Reddy (YSR), and Abdul Khader (Congress).
Valpoi and Panaji
In Goa, CM Parrikar fights for his favorite hunting ground
In Goa, BJP MLA Siddharth Kuncalienkar had vacated Panaji for Manohar Parrikar to get elected to the Goa Legislative Assembly. Parrikar now faces Girish Chodankar (AICC secretary). Meanwhile, the Valpoi bypoll became necessary after Vishwajit Rane, the sitting MLA elected on Congress ticket, joined the BJP. He faces a Congress loyalist's son, Roy Naik, in a prestige battle.