“If not given BJP ticket, will definitely contest as an independent”: Parsekar

MANDREM:  Former Goa chief minister and Mandrem MLA Laxmikant Parsekar has got his supporters and well-wishers in war mode with complete preparedness to contest the upcoming assembly polls as an independent candidate if denied a BJP ticket.

However, Parsekar is quite certain the BJP won’t deny him a ticket this time. “Every one must get a chance and now it’s my chance,” Parsekar has told his supporters.

He has also made it clear that he will not support or work for any other BJP candidate in Mandrem and will work for himself as an independent.

A very close associate involved with Parsekar’s core group told this reporter that Parsekar’s team is at DEFCON 1 – which according to military terms means full preparedness for immediate war.

Speaking to the Times of India a few months ago, Parsekar had said: “I have informed party national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh that I wish to contest the next assembly election. There is no question of BJP denying me the ticket to contest from Mandrem,” Parsekar had told TOI.

The former CM Parsekar lost the last assembly election in 2017 by over 7,000 votes to Dayanand Sopte of the Congress.

Sopte later ditched the Congress and joined the BJP in 2018, contested the by-polls on a BJP ticket and won the elections, sending Parsekar’s political career into a tailspin.

Since then Parsekar is waiting for the next Assembly elections to resurrect his political life in his constituency.