Do not question Parrikar family’s commitment to BJP: Fadnavis

Panaji : Do not raise questions about the commitment of family members of former Chief Minister, late Manohar Parrikar to the BJP, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP’s in-charge for the 2022 Goa assembly polls Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday when asked about the absence of the former Defence Minister’s son from the party’s election campaign so far.

Fadnavis was on his first visit to Goa, after being handed over charge as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s election in-charge ahead of the assembly polls which are scheduled to be held in early 2022.

“First of all, campaigning has not started. You can ask this question after campaigning begins. He (Utpal) will meet me. We have met in the past. There is no anger. At least do not raise questions about Parrikar’s family members. This is my request,” Fadnavis told a press conference in Panaji.

Utpal Parrikar, an engineer and entrepreneur, has repeatedly faulted the Goa BJP for deviating from his father’s ideals. Utpal was also denied a ticket to contest the Panaji assembly seat, which had fallen vacant after his father’s death in 2019. Parrikar had first won the Panaji assembly seat in 1994 and the BJP had retained the state capital assembly constituency since then.

In a recent municipal election in Panaji, Utpal had also campaigned against some of the candidates endorsed by the state Bharatiya Janata Party unit.