AERIAL VIEW
So if you consider the situation, it is clear the BJP is meeting out injustice to Utpal. However, on the other hand, it is correct because Babush, despite all his escapades and alleged criminal antecedents, is a winnable candidate and influences the entire Tiswadi taluka.
His wife, Jennifer Monseratte, is an MLA from Taleigao; his close friends Francis Silveira and Tony Fernandes are MLAs of St Andre and St Cruz, respectively.
If Babush is denied a ticket, it would obviously face major issues in all these constituencies, which BJP would never want after the peculiar situation in Bardez after former Minister Michael Lobo deserted them.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
The issue of whether injustice has been meted out to Utpal Parrikar, son of India’s former Defence Minister, late Manohar Parrikar, is undoubtedly debatable.
On the one hand, the BJP campaign in charge in Goa Devendra Fadnavis says that Utpal cannot be given a ticket because he is the son of Manohar Parrikar and has to work for the party. He goes on to say that winnability is also a significant factor.
If that is so, one question that comes to mind is, why apply a different yardstick to Joshua De Souza?
He, too, is the son of former BJP leader Francis D’Souza and was never involved in any party work. He wasn’t even a. winnable candidate in 2019 and barely scrapped through due to solid efforts of BJP karyakartas.
So if you consider the situation, it is clear the BJP is meeting out injustice to Utpal. However, on the other hand, it is correct because Babush, despite all his escapades and alleged criminal antecedents, is a winnable candidate and influences the entire Tiswadi taluka.
His wife, Jennifer Monseratte, is an MLA from Taleigao; his close friends Francis Silveira and Tony Fernandes are MLAs of St Andre and St Cruz, respectively.
If Babush is denied a ticket, it would obviously face major issues in all these constituencies, which BJP would never want after the peculiar situation in Bardez after former Minister Michael Lobo deserted them.
Another question is whether Utpal should get the ticket simply because he is Manohar Bhai’s son.
His comments yesterday to a local news channel also seem like he should get the ticket only because Parrikar represented it.
“The current politics is not acceptable to me; winnability, integrity, character does not matter? Are we allowing a person with criminal antecedent to contest constituency represented by Manohar Parrikar?” said Utpal Parrikar.
So does that mean that if BJP appoints another leader as a Panaji candidate would Utpal agree and support? We all know how upset Utpal was when the BJP had nominated Siddharth Kuncoliencar for Panaji by-polls in 2019.
Even when Siddharth was nominated, Utpal was upset even then, but it was just that he did not contest then.
Your contention that Babush is has a criminal antecedent may be right, but Utpalbab, your father Manohar Parrikar too, had formed the government with the same Babush Monseratte and made him a cabinet minister. Babush had criminal cases then also. Why didn’t you ask your father the same question then?
Another thing is Panaji is not a kingdom, and Manohar Parrikar was not the undisputed King of Panaji. Mind you, he won the 2017 elections against the same Babush Monseratte by a thin margin.
So while the Panjimites have every right to decide their leader, whether Babush is a criminal or something else, let the people of Panaji decide.
We are not trying to justify Babush’s candidature, but the contention is that Utpal never worked for the party during Manohar Parrikar’s time, so he has no right to a party ticket.
Even after Parrikar’s departure, Utpal has not displayed any great work for the party.
The other way for Utpal Parrikar is to display his worth is by contesting elections independently and winning. Maybe, BJP could consider his name if he is a worthwhile leader if he gets sizeable votes.
In short, in his statements, Utpal has displayed the arrogance his father had but has failed to prove he has even half the brain his father had. If he had, he would have not made such childish and illogical statements.