Team Herald
PANJIM: A day after announcing its candidature for Panjim by-elections, former RSS Goa unit chief Subhash Velingkar has claimed that he has the capability to fill in the vacuum created in State politics by the death of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar.
Velingkar, contesting on Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) ticket, will be filing his nominations on Monday.
Closely associated with Parrikar for over two and half decades until 2016, Velingkar, said that he cannot be compared with Parrikar but has the “ability to fill in the vacuum created in Goa’s politics after the death of Manohar Parrikar.”
“I might have political and ideological differences with Parrikar, but it is a fact that he was a tall leader and (his death has created a) vacuum. I cannot be compared with Parrikar as two individuals are always different. But I have been senior to Parrikar and I still believe and practices the ideology which he (Parrikar) was following till the year 2012 before going haywire,” he said.
The GSM leader said that the party is contesting the by-polls not to eat into anyone’s vote bank but to emerge victorious.
Velingkar said that he would be sitting in opposition benches, once elected to the House.
“Rather than getting associated with corrupt and unprincipled political parties like Congress and BJP, I would prefer to sit in the opposition,” he said.
GSM has also contested by-elections in Mandrem, Shiroda and Mapusa assembly constituency held on April 23. Panjim by-election is scheduled on May 19.
After ruling the constituency for nearly two and half decades under Parrikar, BJP is yet to announce its candidature for the polls. While party high command wants to promote, Parrikar’s elder son Utpal, the Panjim BJP loyalists are in favour of Sidharat Kuncolienkar candidature.
