Utpal Parrikar, son of former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday, 21 January, after the party refused to offer him a ticket for his father's Panaji seat and will now be contesting the upcoming Goa Assembly elections from Panaji as an independent candidate.
"I will be contesting as an Independent candidate from Panaji constituency," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
The BJP, on Thursday, 20 January, had announced 34 candidates for the Goa Assembly elections. However, Parrikar was not named among the candidates.
He had been lobbying for the Panaji seat, which his father had represented for over two decades. Instead, the disputed seat was given to Atanasio 'Babush' Monserrate, who had won the by-election on a Congress ticket after Manohar Parrikar's death in 2019, and later switched to the BJP.
Kejriwal Invites Utpal To Join AAP
Reacting to the exclusion of Utpal Parrikar, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal had tweeted on Thursday, "Goans feel v sad that BJP has adopted use and throw policy even with Parrikar family. I have always respected Manohar Parrikar ji. Utpal ji is welcome to join and fight elections on AAP ticket."
BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said at a press conference on Thursday that Utpal and his family were BJP's family. "Sitting MLA has been given ticket from Panjim... Utpal Parrikar and his family are our family. We gave two more options to him, but he rejected the first one, and the second option is being discussed with him. We feel that he should agree."
Later on Thursday, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that BJP central leaders were in touch with Parrikar.
"Our central leaders are in touch with Utpal Parrikar. Delhi CM Kejriwal had said different things when Manohar Parrikar was CM, and now he is saying different things for political gains. People of Goa understand this and will form BJP government again," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
While Parrikar had openly expressed a desire to contest from the Panaji constituency, Fadnavis had previously stated, "Manohar Bhai did a lot of work to establish the BJP in Goa. But nobody gets a ticket in the BJP just because they are the son of Manohar Bhai or some leader."
'We Will Support Him if He Contests Elections Independently': Sanjay Raut
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said they would support Parrikar if he decided to contest the elections independently.
"It's up to Utpal Parrikar (son of late former Goa CM Manohar Parrikar) whether to contest the Goa Assembly elections or not. His family has a huge contribution in establishing BJP in Goa. We will support him if he contests elections independently," Raut was quoted as saying by ANI.
Goa, which has 40 Assembly seats, will go to the polls on 14 February. The counting of votes will be held on 10 March.
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