Team Herald
PANJIM: Former Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) Mayor and present councillor Uday Madkaikar on Monday extended his support to Uptal Parrikar, contesting Assembly elections from Panjim constituency.
Speaking to media, Madkaikar said that bowing to requests of his workers and supporters he decided not to contest the Assembly elections fixed on February 14 and instead to support independent candidate Utpal.
“My workers and many people from Panjim constituency want me to support Utpal. Trinamool Congress Party vice president Luizinho Faleiro and political strategist Prashant Kishor of I-PAC spoke to me and requested me to contest elections. I declined offer of TMC because I found Utpal is honest and clean candidate”, he said.
Accusing the Congress leaders for denying him the party ticket, Madkaikar said that he will not quit the Congress and work for the victory of former CCP Mayor and Congress candidate Tony Rodrigues in Taleigao constituency.
“I will not quit Congress party. It is State Congress leaders who told me to continue campaigning and later ditched me,” he said.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Dattaprasad Naik, who was also present at the briefing, welcomed Madkaikar’s decision to extend support to Uptal Parrikar. He said that more leaders will soon join Utpal’s campaign irrespective of their party affiliations.
Utpal, elder son of former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar quit the BJP last week after he was denied party ticket from Panjim.
