He was denied a ticket from his late father’s seat, which has been given to Atanasio Monserrate.
Bombay Tribune(Panaji) After being denied a ticket for the Panaji seat in the upcoming Goa Assembly elections, Utpal Parrikar has left the BJP. Utpal Parrikar is the son of Manohar Parrikar, a former Union minister and three-time Goa chief minister.
Utpal stated the time has come to “take a stand for my ideals… and let the people of Panaji decide my political fate,” announcing his candidacy as an independent candidate.
“I did my hardest in the last election, as well as this election, to persuade my party that I had not only the support of all the party members, but also the support of the general people of Panaji,” he told reporters as he announced his decision on Friday evening.
“Despite this, I am unable to get the Panaji constituency’s candidature.” It was granted to someone who joined the party on the spur of the moment in the last two years… That is why he stated, “I want to go forward and let the people of Panaji decide my political fate.”
“For more than two decades, Manohar Parrikar represented the Panaji constituency. This was possible because he benefited from the affection and love of the people of Panaji, which I had also nurtured. People voted for him because he represented something… “It’s past time for me to stand up for my ideals,” Utpal told the reporters.
Before his death in 2019, Manohar Parrikar was the BJP’s highest leader in Goa, having held the Panaji constituency for 25 years.However, for this election, the party has picked controversial MLA Atanasio “Babush” Monserrate, a lifetime opponent of Manohar Parrikar, for the Panaji seat.
The BJP had offered Utpal alternative options, including two alternate seats, which he apparently declined. Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, tweeted that “Utpalji is welcome to join and fight elections on AAP ticket.”
“I’ve always admired Manohar Parrikarji…” Even with the Parrikar family, Goans are disappointed that the BJP has chosen a use-and-throw policy,” Kejriwal stated.
