Goa Assembly Elections 2022: BJP leader defeats Utpal Parrikar but expresses disappointment with supporters
The BJP fought the elections on all 40 seats in the state while the Goa Forward Party (GFP) entered into a pre-poll alliance with Congress
Utpal Parrikar (C) with father Manohar Parrikar (L). News18
Bharatiya Janata Party's Atanasio Monserrate defeated Utpal Parrikar, son of former defence minister Late Manohar Parrikar by a narrow difference of 716 votes.
Speaking to NDTV, Monserrate said he is not happy with the margin of his victory and claimed that many BJP supporters did not vote for him.
"I have told this to BJP leaders. They should watch out in the future. The state BJP unit did not send the right message to the people. I am in touch with all BJP leaders and I am with the BJP," he said.
"I am not satisfied with the result. Many hardcore BJP voters have voted for Utpal. That is the reason he could get that many votes," he told NDTV.
He said Pramod Sawant will surely be the next chief minister of Goa.
Expressing disappointment with the party leaders, he said that the party leaders failed to properly convey the message to the people of Goa.
'Satisfied with fight', says Utpal
Parrikar thanked Goans who voted for him and expressed slight disappointment after knowing that he was trailing in terms of the vote share from his seat, ANI said in a report.
Speaking to reporters earlier today, Parrikar said, "As an Independent candidate, it was a good fight, I thank the people. Satisfied with the fight but the result is a little disappointing."
As per ANI, the BJP in Goa is inching closer to the halfway mark as early trends of the counting of votes showed the party leading on 18 Assembly seats. The Election Commission of India's data at 10.30 am showed the BJP leading on 18 Assembly seats out of the total 40 seats in the state.
Amid predictions of a hung Assembly by the pollsters, leaders of BJP and Congress in Goa would be keeping a close watch on the popular verdict to assess their chances of forming government in the state.
As per ANI, Congress had asked its candidates to stay at a resort to prevent any attempt at "poaching". The party's leaders in Goa are learnt to be in touch with state leaders of Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) "to prevent the BJP from returning to power" in the state.
The BJP fought the elections on all 40 seats in the state while the Goa Forward Party (GFP) entered into a pre-poll alliance with Congress.
The TMC allied with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party for the polls.
'BJP tried to convince Utpal'
According to a report by ANI, Monserrate had said that the party tried its level best to convince Utpal Parrikar, son of former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, requesting him to contest from any constituencies.
Speaking to ANI, Monserrate said, "The party tried its level best to convince him (Utpal Parrikar). I am sure that if his father (former Goa CM Manohar Parrikar) was alive, he would have never allowed this thing to happen."
Utpal Parrikar has decided to contest the election as an Independent candidate and resigned from the party.
Earlier, Shiv Sena had said that if Utpal is contesting the election as an Independent, then they would support him. On this, Monserrate said, "Shiv Sena does not have a base in Goa. They had tried their luck earlier also but they could not make any dent in Goa."
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