Parrikar's son denied Panaji ticket by BJP for Goa elections
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday released a list of 34 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in Goa. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will contest the polls from Sanquelim constituency while Deputy CM Manohar Ajgaonkar has been fielded from Margaon, as per the list. Notably, former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's son Utpal Parrikar's name is missing from the list.
- Utpal, the son of three-time Goa Chief Minister and one of the BJP's tallest leaders in the state Manohar Parrikar, had sought a ticket from his father's seat Panaji.
- However, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had said tickets will be given based on merit and not family links.
- On Thursday, following the BJP's announcement, Utpal told reporters, "I will clear my stand soon."
According to Thursday's list, the BJP has decided to give the Panaji ticket to Atanasio Monserrate, the sitting MLA from the constituency. Notably, after Manohar Parrikar's death in 2019, Monserrate had won the by-election as a Congress candidate but later switched over to the BJP. Meanwhile, the BJP has dropped two Ministers—WRD Minister Filipe Nery Rodrigues and PWD Minister Deepak Prabhu Pauskar.
"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 (sic)," Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal tweeted.
However, it might be noted that the BJP has given election tickets to the wives of two of its leaders. Monseratte's wife Jennifer Monseratte has been fielded from Taleigao constituency while State Cabinet Minister Vishwajit Rane's spouse Divya Vishwajit will fight polls from Poriem. Former Minister Milind Naik, who had resigned over an alleged sex scandal, has also been chosen as a candidate.
On Wednesday, the Opposition Congress party had released a fresh list of five candidates for the polls. Meanwhile, the AAP has declared lawyer-politician Amit Palekar as its Chief Mnisterial candidate in Goa. Elections in the coastal state will be held in a single phase for all the 40 Assembly seats on February 14. Results will be declared on March 10.
