The BJP legislator from Panaji constituency, Siddharth Kuncalienkar, resigned from his seat on Wednesday, paving the way for Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to contest the by-election and enter the Goa Assembly.

Kuncalienkar submitted his resignation to Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant in the presence of BJP’s Goa unit chief Vinay Tendulkar.

Tendulkar said the party has asked Kuncalienkar to vacate the seat to allow Parrikar to contest from there.

“It was the party’s decision that Kuncalienkar should vacate his seat. The decision was conveyed to him last night,” he said.

Parrikar took over as Chief Minister in March after resigning as Defence Minister, after the BJP, which failed to get a majority on its own, succeeded in cobbling together a coalition with the support of regional outfits.

He has to get elected to the Assembly within six months for continuing as the Chief Minister.