Utpal Parrikar to contest Goa Assembly polls as Independent candidate from Panaji

New Delhi: Utpal Parrikar, son of late Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, will fight the upcoming Assembly polls as an independent candidate from Panaji constituency. 

Parrikar also quit BJP ahead of the Goa polls, PTI reported. 

I will be contesting as an Independent candidate from Panaji constituency: Utpal Parrikar, son of late former CM Manohar Parrikar#GoaElections pic.twitter.com/FsBomEeRwk — ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2022

Talking to reporters, Parrikar said, “I was left with no other choice. I have resigned from the party and I would be contesting as an independent from Panaji.”

He added that resignation was a formality but the BJP will "always remain in my heart.” 

Calling it a “difficult choice”, Parrikar said he took the decision for the people of Goa. “It is a difficult choice for me, I am doing it for the people of Goa. No one should be worried about my political future, people of Goa will do it,” he was quoted as saying by PTI. 

On whether he would seek support from other political parties, he said the only platform for him was the BJP. “If not BJP, then I would go for (contesting as) independent. I will not go for any other political party,” he added. 

On Thursday, BJP had released its first list of 34 candidates for the Goa assembly election from which Utpal Parrikar's name was missing. BJP denied Utpal a ticket from the Panaji Assembly seat that was represented by his late father since 2019. 

The BJP leaders said they were in talks with him to offer him a ticket from another seat. BJP has fielded Atanasio Monserrate ‘Babush’ from Panaji. 

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday had also said that the central leaders of BJP are in conversation with Utpal Parrikar and have offered him two constituencies to contest the election. 

Taking a dig at the BJP, AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had offered a ticket to Utpal. Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal wrote, "Goans feel very sad that BJP has adopted use and throw policy even with the Parrikar family. I have always respected Manohar Parrikar. Utpal is welcome to join and fight elections on the AAP ticket." 

Goa will vote in a single-phase election on February 14. 

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