Manohar Parrikar's son Utpal was among the candidates that the BJP had shortlisted for the Panaji seat.
Former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar's son Utpal Parrikar said today that the BJP will introspect on its defeat in the by-election to the Panaji Assembly seat, which his father held for about 25 years.
Congress leader Atanasio Monserratte won the seat, defeating the BJP's Siddharth Kunkolienkar by a margin of over 1,700 votes.
Utpal Parrikar was among the candidates that the BJP had shortlisted for the seat. Later, it fielded Siddharth Kunkolienkar.
Manohar Parrikar's son, who actively campaigned for the BJP in the bypoll, said the party will make an assessment of its defeat and try to ensure victory next time. "The state BJP leaders and workers will introspect on the results and will ensure that we win the Panaji seat in the next election," he told reporters.
Asked if he would have managed to retain the seat had he been given the ticket, Utpal Parrikar said, "I don't think we will achieve anything by speaking about the past."
By-elections were held in four assembly constituencies of Goa, out of which the BJP won three seats but lost Panaji.