As Utpal Parrikar, son of former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, was shut out of the BJP, Aam Aadmi Party chairman Arvind Kejriwal tweeted on Thursday that Utpal Parrikar’s son is welcome to join and contest the election with AAP votes. “Goans are very saddened that BJP has adopted a use and throw policy even towards Parrikar family. I have always respected Manohar Parrikarji. Welcome Utpalji to AAP votes and elections,” Kejriwal tweeted.
The BJP announced the list of 34 candidates on Thursday, but Utpal Parrikar’s name did not appear. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will compete in Sanquelim while Deputy CM Manohar Ajgaonkarwill will compete in Margaon. Devendra Fadnavis released the list and said talks with Utpal Parrikar are ongoing. “We think he should agree,” Fadnavis said. Utpal wanted to play from Panjim, where Manohar Parrikar would later be. This seat has been awarded to an incumbent MLA. “For our party, the Parika family will always be our family. But from the seat that Utpal wants to compete for, we already have a serving MLA and it would be unfair to give up the serving MLA. But, We gave him the option, Fadenavis added that people close to the Parika family told news agency ANI that Utpal was unlikely to back down and agree to contest from any other seat as it would be more of a pairing Emotional and emotional issues are more important than political issues for him. Over the past month, several top party leaders, including Amit Shah and JP Nadda, have tried to persuade him.
The Aam Aadmi party is not the only option for Manohar Parrikar’s son, as Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said recently that all non-BJP parties should support Utpal’s candidacy if he runs as an independent.
Utpal has been lobbying for the Panaji seat, and the state’s leadership has made it clear he can run from any other seat. Panaji is represented by Atanasio Monserratte, who switched from Congress to the BJP in 2019 and won his seat in the necessary votes after the death of Manohar Parrikar.
Utpal Parrikar said the BJP leader, who had been with his father since 1994, now supports him, and he has been meeting with Panaji voters since his father’s death.
“Will the party vote for someone with a criminal record in the constituency represented by the late Manohar Parrikar?” Utpal said before.
Complete News Source : Hindustan Times
