2022 Goa polls: Utpal Parrikar quits BJP over Panaji ticket

Utpal Parrikar has quit the BJP after having been denied a ticket for the Panaji seat in the upcoming Assembly elections in Goa.

Utpal is the son of the late former Union minister Manohar Parrikar, who was also three-time Goa chief minister.

Declaring that he would contest as an independent candidate, Utpal said the time has come to “take some stand for my values… and let the people of Panaji decide my political fate”.

“I tried my best even in the last, as well as this election to convince my party that I enjoyed not only the support of all the party members, I also enjoy the support of the general people of Panaji,” he told reporters on Friday evening, while announcing his decision.

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“Despite that, I am unable to get the candidature of Panaji constituency. It has been given to someone who has opportunistically come in the party in the last two years… That’s why I want to go ahead and let the people of Panaji decide my political fate,” he added.

“Manohar Parrikar represented the Panaji constituency for more than two decades. This was possible as he enjoyed the love and affection of the people of Panaji which even I have developed. People voted for him as he stood for something… The time has come that even I take a stand for my values,” Utpal told the media.

Manohar Parrikar was the BJP’s tallest leader in Goa and had held the Panaji constituency for 25 years before his death in 2019.

For this election, however, the party has chosen for the Panaji seat controversial MLA Atanasio “Babush” Monserrate, also a lifelong rival of Manohar Parrikar.

Utpal had, however, been given other choices by the BJP – of two alternate seats – which he reportedly turned down. He also got an offer from Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, who tweeted that “Utpalji is welcome to join and fight elections on AAP ticket”.

“I have always respected Manohar Parrikarji… Goans feel very sad that BJP has adopted use-and-throw policy even with the Parrikar family,” Kejriwal said.