Panaji (Goa): Utpal Parrikar, son of the late Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who raised a banner of revolt against BJP, has decided to contest from the Panaji constituency as an independent candidate. After that, former Chief Minister Parsekar also toed the former's line, creating trouble for the party. Soon after the party announced its candidates, many leaders, who are aspiring party tickets, started deserting the party to carve out their own path and entering the fray as independent nominees.
Utpal Parrikar has decided to contest from Panaji as he did not ticket from the party. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Utpal Parrikar had said that he would contest the elections. Later, he met former mayor Uday Madkaikar, who was denied a ticket by the Congress, on Saturday and sought his support. In turn, Madkaikar has extended his support to Parrikar. At the same time, Parsekar has decided to contest as an independent election.
The BJP had reportedly requested Parrikar to contest from the Bicholi constituency. The constituency was reserved for him till Friday. However, Utpal Parrikar was adamant about his decision to contest from Panaji. Meanwhile, the election in-charge, Devendra Fadnavis, has tried to persuade Parrikar. Fadnavis had called a special meeting on Saturday to bring reconciliation between Babush Monsrat and Utpal Parrikar. However, Utpal insisted on his decision and skipped the meeting. "When we asked Fadnavis about this, he refrained from talking about it."
"Similarly, BJP has rejected the candidature of former Chief Minister, Laxmikant Parsekar, from the Mandre constituency. In his place, MLA Dayanand Sopte, who became a BJP supporter in 2019, has been given a ticket. Therefore, Parsekar has decided to contest as an independent candidate. However, Parsekar and Parrikar are loyal party workers, so the party will take the right decision in the case of BJP's rebel candidates in the near future," said party official spokesperson Narendra Sawaikar while speaking to ETV Bharat.
The BJP has not yet declared a candidate in the Bicholi constituency as it was reserved for Utpal Parrikar. When Parrikar was adamant about Panaji's seat, the BJP announced the ticket to Babush Monsrat from Panaji. Therefore, Parrikar has started preparations to contest independently from Panaji. Therefore, Speaker Rajesh Patnekar will contest from the vacant Bicholi constituency. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and State President Sadanand Tanawade.
