Team Herald
PANJIM: The Congress leaders in the State are divided over the decision to extend support to Utpal Parrikar, son of former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar, seeking to contest from Panjim constituency as an independent candidate.
For the last two days, top Congress leaders are in huddle to decide on extending support to Utpal following reports that most of the non-BJP parties are in favour of Utpal contesting against sitting MLA Atanasio `Babush’ Monserrate, who is likely to be the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate.
After Utpal threw his hat in the ring and sought BJP ticket to contest the Assembly elections, support started pouring in for him. The BJP also gave a serious thought to his request compelling Monserrate to put off his election campaign last week. They even held a secret ballot to decide the candidate.
The Panjim Block Congress Committee had recommended four names i.e. former CCP Mayors Surendra Furtado and Uday Madkaikar, former councillor Menino D’Cruz and former bureaucrat Elvis Gomes.
The name of former Congress candidate Dinar Tarcar, a mining tycoon had also come up before the Block committee but it was not considered since he was not a Congress member.
One faction within the Congress strongly opposed Utpal as in 2017 polls Congress extended support to independent candidate Rohan Khaunte, who after winning election backed the BJP instead.
GPCC general secretary Sunil Kawthankar said, “I cannot comment on Utpal’s candidature as he is not even a Congress member. It is unfortunate that a son of a tall BJP leader has come down to this stage of discussion.”
Uday Madkaikar said that he has been asked by the party leaders to campaign in Panjim constituency.
