Panaji:BJP\'s Sidharth Kunkolienkar Monday won the Panaji bypoll, defeating his nearest rival from the Congress party by 5,368 votes.

Four candidates were contesting the Panaji by-poll that was necessitated after the elevation of then sitting legislator and former chief minister Manohar Parrikar to the union cabinet as Defence Minister in November last year.

Voting for the by-poll was conducted Feb 13.

Kunkolienkar polled 9,989 votes to win the contest, while Surendra Furtado (Congress) polled 4,621 votes.

Two independents, Samir Kelekar and Sadanand Vaingankar, polled 624 and 140 votes respectively.

BJP wins Panaji bypoll