Utpal Parrikar, son of former Goa CM late Manohar Parrikar has filed his nomination from Panaji and he will be contesting independently from the constituency, during his recent interaction is assured that he will solve all the problems of Goa people, he said "I will try to meet each person in Panaji. The circumstances forced me to take this decision (of contesting an independent candidate) from Panaji. I want to give people a good option in candidates."
As the BJP has released the list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in Goa. According to the list, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will be the party's candidate from Sanquelim. Goa Deputy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar will contest from Margao. Atanasio 'Babush' Monserrate, the current Panaji MLA, has also been given the ticket. Surprisingly the name of the late chief minister and defence minister Manohar Parrikar's son Utpal Parrikar is not on the list. Many political parties and oppositions have put allegations on BJP after denying ticket to Utpal Parrikar.
And responding to this now BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis defend his party and said "Utpal Parrikar has not been denied a ticket. We have given Utpal Parrikar the option to contest in two constituencies. One of them was a traditional BJP bastion, but he wanted to contest from the Panaji (assembly) constituency in particular. He rejected both assembly constituencies. We are sad that he is not with us."
Meanwhile, the voting in Gao will take place on February 14. The voting will be held as per covid protocols in the state, said the Election Commission. The patients can also vote through postal ballot, said the poll panel. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress are the main contenders for the elections in Goa. The counting of the polls will be held on 10 March along with the other four states.