Goa polls: Utpal Parrikar to file nomination papers from Panaji assembly tomorrow

Last week, Utpal Parrikar resigned from the primary membership of BJP after the party denied him a ticket and decided to contest the upcoming Goa election as an independent candidate.

Image credit: ANI

Panaji: Utpal Parrikar, son of former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, on Wednesday said that he will file his nomination papers from the Panaji Assembly constituency on Thursday (January 27). Last week, he resigned from the primary membership of BJP after the party denied him a ticket from Panaji constituency and fielded Congress party turncoat Atanasio "Babush" Monserrate.

After BJP snubbed him, Parrikar decided to contest the upcoming Goa election as an independent candidate. Earlier Utpal had said, "I will be contesting as an independent candidate from Panaji constituency. Panjim people voted for Manohar Parrikar all these years because he stood for certain values. I also have those values in me. The time has come for me also to stand up to those values."

Utpal said he shares an immense bond with the people of Panaji. Meanwhile, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had said that the central leaders of BJP was in conversation with Utpal Parrikar and had offered him two constituencies to contest the election in the upcoming Goa Assembly polls. BJP on Thursday released its first list of 34 candidates for the upcoming Goa assembly election.