Panaji: The support for Independent candidate in Panaji Assembly constituency Utpal Parrikar is swelling with Shiv Sena being the latest one to join hands with him.
Shiv Sena Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut on Monday tweeted informing that the party is withdrawing its candidate Shailendra Velingkar from the fray in Panaji Constituency in support of Utpal Parrikar.
Utpal is an elder son of late Manohar Parrikar, who has filed his candidature as an Independent candidate after BJP refused to him the ticket. The party has fielded sitting MLA Atanasio Monserratte, who had shifted side from Congress to BJP in the year 2019.
“We’re keeping our word. @ShivSena is withdrawing it’s candidate Shailendra Velingkar frm #Panaji. Not just that, our workers will fully support #UtpalParrikar. We believe that the battle for Panaji is just abt elections, but also abt purification of Goa politics,” Raut tweeted.
Recently, Shiv Sena while announcing their candidates for Goa polls had announced that they would support Utpal, if assures that he would not support BJP after getting elected.
Utpal had said that he would remain independent even after getting elected.
Shiv Sena’s support to Utpal comes days after local Congress leaders Uday Madkaikar and Surendra Furtado extended their support to him.
Madkaikar was refused to ticket by the Congress party in Panaji assembly segment after which he extended his support to Utpal, while Furtado is a former Mayor of Corporation of City of Panaji.
“I would love to take support from anyone who wants to be with me in this fight,” Utpal told PTI on Monday, reacting to Sena’s stand.
He said that his fight it not to get elected but for the sake of Panaji, which needs a representative who is of clean character.
Utpal said that he would remain Independent and in the opposition. “You don’t have to be in the ruling to do developmental work. You can do it even being in opposition and my father Manohar Parrikar has proved it,” he said.
