Utpal Parrikar is the son of late BJP veteran Manohar Parrikar, the ex Chief Minister of Goa. (File)
Non-BJP parties must support Manohar Parrikar's son Utpal Parrikar if he contests next month's Goa election, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut appealed today in a tweet, calling it a "true tribute" to the BJP veteran.
Utpal Parrikar, who is in his father's party BJP, is reportedly upset over hints that the party plans to field former minister Atanasio "Babush" Monserrate from Panaji, the seat held by Manohar Parrikar for 25 years. He has talked about contesting as an independent candidate, if it comes to that.
"If Utpal Parrikar contests Independent from Panaji seat, I propose all non-BJP parties including Aam Aadmi Party, Congress, Trinamool Congress and Goa Forward Party should support his candidature and not field a candidate against him. This will be a true tribute to ManoharBhai!," Sanjay Raut tweeted this morning.
Last week, Utpal Parrikar hit out at the BJP leadership in Goa and said he would not accept his father's seat going to someone with a criminal record.
"The kind of politics that is happening in Goa, I cannot tolerate it. It is not acceptable to me. Are they suggesting that only winnability is the criteria (and that) integrity doesn't matter? Character doesn't matter? And you are going to give the ticket to a person who has criminal antecedents and we have to sit home quietly?" Utpal Parrikar told reporters.
"This is not only about Panaji. What is happening in Goa politics is not acceptable. It has to change. Which is what I am trying," he had said.
Mr Parrikar was reacting to the comments of BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.
"Manohar Parrikar did a lot of work to establish the BJP in Goa. But nobody gets a ticket in the BJP just because they are the son of Manohar Parrikar or some leader. If they have worked, they are considered. I cannot take a decision regarding this. Only our parliamentary board can take this decision," Mr Fadnavis had said on Utpal Parrikar.
Manohar Parrikar, a three-time Goa Chief Minister and the BJP's top leader in the seaside state, died in office in 2019. He held the Panaji constituency for five terms.
In the byelection, Babush Monserrate won as a Congress candidate but later, he switched to the BJP.
Utpal Parrikar, an engineering graduate, has been open about his wish to contest from Panaji. He has been meeting people and has also visited temples over the past few months, while declaring that he is ready to fight polls.