Shiv Sena backs Utpal Parrikar in Panaji, withdraws own candidate

Panaji: Shiv Sena removed its candidate from Goa's Panaji constituency and has decided to back former Goan Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's son, Utpal Parrikar, who is contesting as an independent in the seat, NDTV reported. BJP had given the ticket to Congress defector Atanasio Monserrate for the seat, which used to be represented by BJP's own stalwart Manohar Parrikar.

Earlier, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had asked all the opposition parties to support Utpal if he is not contesting on the BJP ticket. Sanjay Raut tweeted that Shiv Sena is keeping their word and withdrawing its candidate Shailendra Velingkar from Panaji. Battle for Panaji is more than election as it is about purification of Goa politics, Raut tweeted, tagging Maharastra minister Aditya Thackeray. Raut asked how BJP could give the ticket to Atanasio "Babush" Monserratte, a person with a criminal background, in the constituency represented by Manohar Parrikar.

Meanwhile, Utpal said he is staking his political career to fight Monserrate, the one BJP chose to contest prestigious Panaji. His father built the party from the ground in Goa, particularly in Panaji, he said.

Manohar Parrikar, who died in 2019, held the Panaji seat for 25 years and was three-time Chief Minister of the state. Parrikar's long time rival and rape case accused Monserrate won the seat for Congress in the by-election after his death. Monserrate later left Congress and joined BJP.

When Utpal approached BJP for Panaji, they offered the constituency for Monserate and Utpal a different.