Representative image  |  Photo Credit: PTI
Key Highlights
- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier opened the doors of the Aam Aadmi Party for Utpal Parrikar
- Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut had made an appeal to non-BJP parties to jointly support Utpal’s candidature for the upcoming Assembly Elections
- “This will be a true tribute to ManoharBhai!,” Sanjay Raut had tweeted
Panaji: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday released its list of 34 candidates for the upcoming Goa Assembly Elections.
As announced by BJP’s general secretary Arun Singh along with the state’s poll in-charge Devendra Fadnavis, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will be the party’s candidate from Sanquelim. Goa Deputy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar will contest from Margao.
Interestingly, the name of Utpal Parrikar, the son of late chief minister and defence minister Manohar Parrikar, was not on the list that was released today. This may be noted that there was a standoff between the BJP’s leadership and Utpal Parrikar over the latter’s demand for a ticket for the Panaji Assembly seat, which was held by his father since 1994.
As per the list released today, Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate, the current Panaji MLA, has been given the ticket.
While talking about Monserrate’s candidature from Panjim, ex-Maharashtra CM and BJP’s Goa in-charge for the Assembly Elections, Devendra Fadnavis, said that “Utpal Parrikar and his family are our family”.
“We gave two more options to him but he rejected the first one and second option is being discussed with him. We feel that he should agree,” said Fadnavis suggested that Utpal is not our of the race just yet.
While announcing the candidates, Fadnavis emphasised that the BJP ushered in a new era of development in Goa in the last 10 years while also ensuring stability.
Divya Rane, the wife of Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, has been given a BJP ticket from the Poriem constituency. Divya will face her father-in-law Pratapsingh Rane (Congress), who is six-time CM and 11-time MLA.
This time around, the election is expected to be a multi-cornered one because of the entry of both the TMC and the AAP.