Son of former Chief Minister (late) Manohar Parrikar, Utpal has finally opened up about the clamour of support he has received, encouraging him to contest the Panjim by-polls and take forward his father’s legacy. “At present I have not thought about it. But I will have to think at the right time,” Utpal said. In the wake of his father’s death, BJP supporters have demanded that Utpal be given the ticket for the Panjim by-poll, a seat that was earlier represented by his late father for six terms, since 1994. When asked whether BJP has approached him with an offer to contest the Assembly by-election, Utpal said that he has been mourning period, so there is no such discussion that has happened. “After father’s death I am yet to recover from the shock and that is why I have not yet decided anything”, he said.
Earlier this month, BJP Goa Unit President Vinay Tendulkar had stated that BJP’s national vice president Avinash Rai Khanna had approached Utpal and his brother, Abhija, urging them to participate actively in BJP’s work.
