“This is precisely where the political positioning of Utpal Parrikar now faces its biggest test. For the past few years, Utpal has attempted to carve out a political space in Panaji by invoking legacy and presenting himself as the natural inheritor of his father’s political influence in the capital. But Panaji’s electorate appears to be sending a different signal. Municipal elections are rarely won through sentiment. They are won through organisation, neighbourhood level networks and the ability to mobilise voters ward by ward. In this arena, Monserrate has built a structure over decades that continues to dominate the city’s civic…
