Talking to ANI, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said that the party will support him if he contests elections independently.
After the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Shiv Sena on Thursday offered to support Utpal Parrikar, the son of former Goa Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar. The ‘offer’ came after Utpal was denied a ticket by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Talking to ANI, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said that the party will support him if he contests elections independently.
“It is up to Utapal Parrikar whether to contest the Goa Assembly elections or not. His family has a huge contribution in establishing BJP in Goa. We will support him if he contests elections independently,” he said.
In the upcoming Goa Assembly polls, Shiv Sena will contest in alliance with its partner in the Maharashtra government, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Utpal Parrikar wanted to contest from the Panjim seat, which was previously held by his father, and from where the BJP has chosen to repeat the sitting MLA, Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate. The party today released its first list of candidates, comprising 34 names, including chief minister Pramod Sawant, deputy CM Manohar Ajgaonkar, and Monserrate.
Earlier, former Maharashtra CM and BJP’s Goa in-charge for the assembly polls Devendra Fadnavis had said that being Parrikar’s son cannot be the only credential to demand a ticket from the BJP.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday invited Utpal Parrikar to join his party and contest the Goa assembly election on AAP ticket.
He also accused the saffron party of adopting a “use and throw policy even with the Parrikar family” after Utpal failed to make it to BJP’s list of candidates for next month’s Goa assembly polls.
Kejriwal also tweeted in support of Utpal Parrikar and wrote, “Goans feel very sad that the BJP has adopted a use-and-throw policy even with the Parrikar family. I have always respected Manohar Parrikar ji. Utpal Ji is welcome to join and fight elections on an AAP ticket,” he tweeted.