the goan I network
PANAJI
Former chief minister Manohar Parrikar’s son, Utpal Parrikar on Sunday said he will submit to the party leadership an internal assessment of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s humiliating defeat in the prestige electoral battle for the Panaji constituency, a seat held by his father since 1994, except for the time he was the country’s Defence Minister.
Utpal said the report that he will submit is based on inputs he has received from Panaji karyakatas of the party.
“It is not proper to delve into what happened. What inputs I have with me I will present it to the BJP higher leaders,” Utpal said while speaking to media on the sidelines of a function at the Kala Academy.
The loss in Panaji came as an embarrassing setback to the ruling party as the seat was the stronghold of its iconic former leader. Utpal himself seemed set to contest the seat after his father’s death until the party decided otherwise and instead nominated his former aide Sidharth Kuncalienkar.
Kuncalienkar polled 6,990 votes but lost to Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate by a margin of 1,758 votes. Utpal, meanwhile, had expressed his disappointment over the loss immediately after the results were declared in a post on social networking site Twitter.
On Sunday, he said it is up to the party’s State leaders to take up measures which will rectify the situation within the party rank and file in the capital city.
“What rectifying measures need to be taken is up to the State leaders”, Utpal further told journalists on Sunday.
Pointing out that the BJP candidate got fewer votes during the assembly bypoll but the party’s Lok Sabha candidate got more in the same constituency, Utpal said the party certainly needs to take some corrective measures.
He reiterated his commitment to work for the party and said party workers will be his focus point.
“I will discuss with party state leadership about the future working strategy in Panaji”, he said, adding that he will abide by the party’s guidance and take up whatever role is given to him.
“Whether in the foreground or in the background, I will work for whatever is best for the party,” he added.
“I recollect the words of Atal Bihari Vajpayee that darkness will fade and lotus will bloom. For lotus to bloom in Panaji again the workers have to work hard. As Panaji workers have the ability I am confident that BJP will win in Panaji constituency again,” he added.
When asked whether he didn’t work for Kuncalienkar in the recent bypoll election, Utpal refuted the allegation and claimed he worked to the best of his capacity for his win.
