Utpal Parrikar's claim for Panjim seat to be decided on ground reports: BJP

New Delhi, Nov 18 After Utpal Parrikar expressed his desire to contest from the Panjim Assembly seat, which was represented by his father, late Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the BJP leadership said that his candidature will be decided based on the feedback received from the ground.

It is learnt that Utpal has conveyed his desire to contest the next year's Assembly polls from his father's seat Panjim. Former chief minister represented Panjim seats many times. The BJP, however, lost the seat to Congress's Atanasio Monserrate in the by-election held after the death of Manohar Parrikar in 2019. Monserrate later joined the BJP along with other Congress MLAs.

A senior BJP leader said that Utpal's candidature will be considered like other party workers in the state.

"All the selection criteria fixed for others will be applicable to Utpal. If he fulfills all the criteria fixed then a ticket will be given to him. He will not get any preference in ticket distribution," he said.

Another senior BJP leader said that the party is conducting assessment and survey to find out people's opinion and the findings of survey will also be taken into consideration while deciding tickets.

"We are conducting a survey to find out the popularity of sitting MLAs and other popular names in each Assembly seat. We also collect workers' feedback. Like others, if Utpal fits into all the criteria of winnability, he will be given a ticket," he said.

Utpal had announced his intention to join politics soon after his father's death in March 2019.

Goa Assembly polls will be held in February- March next year along with Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur. The BJP has been in power in the coastal state since 2012.

In Goa, the BJP will be contesting the first election after the death of former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, one of the tallest leaders of the party in the state.

In Goa, the BJP is facing challenges from Arvind Kejriwa's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) along with the Congress.

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