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Goa polls: Which party will Utpal Parrikar contest from? AAP invites, BJP hopes he stays on

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 1/21/2022 1:34:26 PM

New Delhi, Jan 20 Aam Admi Party National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday, January 20, invited former Goa CM Manohar Parrikar's son Utpal to join the party. "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. His tweet came after Utpal Parrikar was excluded from BJP's list of candidates for Goa elections. Sources said the BJP, on the other hand, is still trying to convince Utpal Parrikar to contest on the party's ticket. Efforts to even talk to his family are on. However, party insiders ruled out the Bicholim seat as a possibility for Parrikar as they are still trying to convince party leader and Assembly speaker Rajesh Patnekar to contest. Patnekar is sceptical because he is ailing health-wise. Utpal has already started door-to-door meetings in the Panjim constituency once represented by his father. After Manohar Parrikar's demise in 2019, the BJP fielded a young candidate, Siddharth Kuncalleinkar, from the seat. Goa strongman and erstwhile Congress leader Atanasio 'Babush' Monseratte contested and won the by-elections, thereby snatching the seat from BJP.