Kejriwal says Utpal welcome to AAP as BJP denies ticket to Parrikar's son
Goa Polls 2022: Kejriwal said BJP has adopted use and throw policy even with the Parrikar family and this makes Goans sad. Fadnavis said talks are on with Utpal for other seats, not Panaji, as it is not fair to deny the ticket to the sitting MLA.
As former Goa chief minister late Manohar Parrikar's son Utpal Parrikar has been denied a ticket by the BJP, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday tweeted that Utpal Parrikar's son is welcome to join and fight elections on AAP ticket. "Goans feel very sad that BJP has adopted use and throw policy even with Parrikar family. I have always respected Manohar Parrikarji. Utpalji is welcome to join and fight elections on AAP ticket," Kejriwal tweeted.
The BJP on Thursday announced the list of 34 candidates and Utpal Parrikar's name was not there. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will contest from Sanquelim, while deputy CM Manohar Ajgaonkarwill contest from Margaon. Devendra Fadnavis released the list and said talks with Utpal Parrikar are on. “We feel he should agree,” Fadnavis said.
Full coverage of Goa Assembly Election 2022
Utpal wanted to contest from Panjim, the seat of later Manohar Parrikar. That seat has been given to the sitting MLA. "For our party, the Parrikar family is always our family. But from the seat that Utpal wanted to contest from we already have a sitting MLA and it would not be fair to drop the sitting MLA. However, we had given him the option of contesting from two other seats and the talks are progressing in that direction," Fadnavis added.
People close to the Parrikar family told news agency ANI that it is unlikely that Utpal will budge and agree to contest from any other seat as it is more of a sentimental and emotional issue for him than a political one. In the last one month, several top leaders of the party including Amit Shah and JP Nadda tried to convince him.
The Aam Aadmi Party is not the only option for Manohar Parrikar's son as Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut recently said that all non-BJP parties should support Utpal's candidature if he contests as an Independent.
Utpal has been lobbying to get the Panaji seat and the state party leadership made it clear that he can contest from any other seat. Panaji is represented by Atanasio Monserratte, who switched to the BJP from the Congress in 2019 and won the seat in the bypoll that was necessitated following Manohar Parrikar's demise.
Utpal Parrikar said the BJP leaders who were with his father since 1994 now support him and he has been meeting the voters of Panaji after his father's death.
"Will the party give the ticket to the person with criminal antecedents in the constituency represented by late Manohar Parrikar?" Utpal said earlier.
(With inputs from agencies)