Goa Assembly elections: Shiv Sena withdraws its Panaji candidate in support of Utpal Parrikar

Sena, in a message to former ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said that it is “keeping its word” and that it was “more than elections”

Mumbai: Abiding by its statement, the Shiv Sena on Monday announced that it has dropped its candidate from Panaji ahead of the Goa Assembly elections to extend the party’s support to Utpal Parrikar, son of former Goa chief minister, Manohar Parrikar. Utpal is contesting from the seat as an independent candidate.

“We’re keeping our word. Shiv Sena is withdrawing its candidate Shailendra Velingkar from Panaji,” Sanjay Raut said in a tweet . (HT)

Sena, in a message to former ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said that it is “keeping its word” and that it was “more than elections”.

“We’re keeping our word. Shiv Sena is withdrawing its candidate Shailendra Velingkar from Panaji. Not just that, our workers will fully support Utpal Parrikar. We believe that the battle for Panaji is just about the election, but also about the purification of Goa politics (sic),” Raut said in a tweet tagging Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray, who is involved in the planning for Goa polls.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had earlier said that if Parrikar contests solo, and does not withdraw his candidature till the last day, the party will withdraw its candidate from the seat and support him.

Sena had given the ticket to Shailendra Velingkar, son of Goa Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Subhash Velingkar. Shailendra had joined Sena earlier this month.

Raut’s tweet also included a picture of Parrikar’s quote, targeting BJP for giving a ticket to Atanasio Babush Monserrate from Panaji, which was being presented by Manohar Parrikar. “You will give ticket to the person with criminal antecedent in the constituency represented by late Manohar Parrikar? (sic)”

After being denied a ticket from Panaji, Utpal resigned from the BJP on January 21 and announced his candidature as an independent to mark his electoral debut. BJP, meanwhile, had said that Parrikar was given two other options to contest. On January 29, Devendra Fadnavis, BJP’s poll in charge for Goa, said that the party did not deny him a ticket, but he rejected two options.

Shiv Sena is contesting the Goa polls in an alliance with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Sanjay Raut said that the party Aaditya Thackeray will campaign in Goa, including in Sinquerim (Sakhali) Assembly constituency from where Goa CM Pramod Sawant would contest. So far, the party has not decided if senior party leaders will campaign for Parrikar.

“Aaditya Thackeray will campaign in Goa, including in Sakhali. The people of Goa are unhappy with the incumbent CM; there are several issues of corruption against him so I don’t think he will get elected again. He (Aaditya) will also campaign in Vasco, Pernem, Mapusa, Mandrem, the constituencies that are close to the Maharashtra border. Other Sena leaders will also campaign in Goa,” Raut said.