Late Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s older son Utpal met BJP’s Goa Organisational Secretary Satish Dhond on Tuesday, with the latter conveying the party's desire that he should join the Lok Sabha election campaign for North Goa in the Panaji constituency.
Sources close to Mr. Utpal Parrikar told The Hindu on Wednesday that the meeting was held at the instance of Mr. Dhond. Mr. Dhond reportedly called Mr. Utpal and told him to start moving around Panaji for the election campaign of North Goa candidate and Minister for AYUSH Sripad Naik.
This development assumes significance as the assembly by-election for the Panaji constituency has just been announced. Sources said that this could be a possible hint for Mr. Utpal Parrikar preparing himself for the Panaji assembly by-poll to be held on May 19.
The Panaji constituency has been represented by the late Manohar Parrikar from 1994 with a brief break in 2014, when he became the Defence Minister. Parrikar’s aide at the time Siddarth Kuncolienkar became MLA twice in succession before once again vacating the seat for Parrikar when he returned in the post-2017 State Assembly election as Chief Minister.
Mr. Dhond, when contacted by The Hindu, said that he has definitely asked Mr. Utpal Parrikar, among others, to get down to work in Panaji for the North Goa constituency election, but the decision on the Panaji candidate will be taken only after the April 23 Lok Sabha and assembly by-elections are over.
“We have a full process, we have to first ascertain views of party’s various wings, important party leaders and workers, other important well-wishers in the constituency and then the State election committee will take up the names,” said Mr. Dhond who worked for Goa BJP very closely with the late Parrikar.
“At this stage with Mr. [Manohar] Parrikar not around, as it is, we are feeling that pressure during the electioneering, in that we do not want to mix up this issue. We will take the call after April 23,” he said.
A senior source in the Goa BJP Election Committee, on condition of anonymity, confirmed that names of Mr. Utpal Parrikar and Mr. Kuncolienkar, are on the list of probable candidates.
Parrikar died on March 17 after a prolonged battle with pancreatic ailment, upon which the issue of his successor started being publicly discussed with some groups suggesting the name of his older son. After his demise, some national leaders of BJP had advised his sons Utpal and Abhijat to work for the party as their father did.
In a letter thanking people and party workers for their support during Parrikar’s illness and after his death, the two brothers had pledged to honour their father’s life by continuing his legacy and service and dedication to the State and the nation. This was considered in Goa's political circles as an indication of his older son’s desire to join active politics.
When contacted, Mr. Utpal Parrikar had recently told presspersons that he had not applied his mind to the issue, but will take the call at the right time.
Sources close to the Parrikar family said that the late leader scrupulously kept them away from politics when the brothers were young, but once they matured as adults, he did not interfere in their careers or other choices in their lives.
Mr. Utpal (38) has done a Master’s degree at an US University and is presently into business.