As adamant Utpal Parrikar insists on Panaji ticket, Babush may get St Cruz or Cumbharjua

PANAJI: Even as late Manohar Parrikar’s son Utpal Parrikar is leaving no stone upturned to ensure that he gets the Panaji ticket, incumbent Panjim MLA Atanasio Babush Monserrate may have to contest either from St Cruz or Cumbharjua.

Senior BJP leaders are awaiting feedback from the ongoing internal poll and independent assessment survey on Utpal Parrikar’s popularity and his winnability factor in Panaji. Party karyakartas will also be tapped for their feedback. Should all data go in Parrikar’s favor, Monserrate will be asked to contest from St Cruz, BJP sources said.

While Monserrate did not reply to our WhatsApp message seeking his comments on the Panaji dilemma, Utpal Parrikar made his position very clear, when he told media persons on Thursday that he has made up his mind to contest from Panaji, with or without a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.

He even warned the BJP leadership of “tough decisions he may have to take if denied a ticket”. Sources close to Utpal said he may contest as an independent with secret support from certain Panaji BJP leaders if the ticket goes to Monserrate. There are rumors of Utpal seeking a Congress ticket, but those seem farfetched and mere gossip.

Sources say Utpal Parrikar has sent feelers via some Union Cabinet Ministers to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP party president J P Nadda, expressing his keen and unflinching desire to keep Manohar Parrikar’s legacy alive in the capital city of the coastal state, by contesting the forthcoming elections in February 2022.

Since Babush has contested and won from the St Cruz constituency in the past, the BJP’s first choice would be to offer him that option. Alternatively, Babush may be given Cumbharjua as the second option, but St Cruz seems what it’s going to be for the Tiswadi strongman this time.

Senior BJP leaders were unwilling to comment on the situation and only said said that Parrikar’s candidature will be decided based on the feedback received from the ground.

“All the selection criteria fixed for other candidates, including sitting MLAs will be applicable to Utpal. If he fulfills all the criteria fixed then a ticket will be given to him. He will not get any preference in ticket distribution,” a BJP leader was quoted by the media.

Another senior BJP leader said the party is conducting assessment based on various criteria and a survey to find out people’s opinion and the findings of survey will be taken into consideration while deciding tickets.

“We are conducting a survey to find out the acceptance and popularity of sitting MLAs and other popular names of prospective candidates in each Assembly Constituency. We also collect workers’ feedback. Like other candidates, if Utpal fits into all the criteria of winnability, he will be given a ticket,” he said, adding that winnability is the most important criteria.