My stand on Panaji is a principled stand: Utpal Parrikar

Utpal Parrikar. File Pic/ANI

Utpal Parrikar, son of former CM Manohar Parrikar who decided to contest the upcoming Goa election as an independent candidate from Panaji constituency, said that his stand on Panaji is a 'principled stand'. "My stand on Panaji is a principled stand.

I said yesterday that if the party fields an honest candidate with integrity and no criminal records from Panaji, then I'm ready to withdraw (as an independent candidate)," Utpal told ANI. Utpal also resigned from the primary membership of BJP on January 21 after the party denied him a ticket from the Panaji constituency and fielded Congress party turncoat Atanasio "Babush" Monserrate.

"I will be contesting as an independent candidate from Panaji constituency. Panjim people voted for Manohar Parrikar all these years because he stood for certain values. I also have those values in me. The time has come for me also to stand up to those values," Utpal said. Meanwhile, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said that the central leaders of BJP were in conversation with Utpal Parrikar and had offered him two constituencies to contest the election in the upcoming Goa Assembly polls.

BJP on Thursday released its first list of 34 candidates for the upcoming Goa assembly election. Goa will go for assembly polls on February 14. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

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