News Analysis India

Tag: Panaji

  • Doesn’t BJP believe in integrity, character, asks late Goa CM Manohar Parrikar’s Son Utpal

    By PTI

    PANAJI: A day after being snubbed by senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis over poll ticket, Utpal Parrikar, son of former Goa chief minister late Manohar Parrikar, on Thursday asked whether the party believes in integrity and character or not.

    He also said that the BJP leaders from Panaji assembly constituency, who earlier worked with his father, are currently supporting him in his campaign.

    On Wednesday, Fadnavis had said that the party can’t give a ticket to anybody for the February 14 Goa assembly polls just because he is a son of a leader.

    His comment was apparently aimed at Utpal Parrikar, who has been lobbying to get the party’s candidature from the Panaji assembly seat.

    Panaji constituency is currently represented by BJP MLA Atanasio Monserratte, who had shifted from Congress to BJP in 2019.

    “I am a small party worker and cannot comment on what senior leader like Devendra Fadnavis has said. But if I wanted to ask for a ticket just because I am son of Manohar Parrikar, then I would have demanded it last time (during the by-election held after the death of Parrikar),” he said.

    The former defence minister died on May 17, 2019.

    Utpal Parrikar said that he continues to meet the voters in Panaji constituency.

    “Those BJP leaders who were with my father right from 1994 are currently with me,” he said.

    Expressing unhappiness over the way “things are happening in Goa”, he asked whether integrity and character do not matter.

    “Will the party give ticket to the person with criminal antecedents in the constituency represented by late Manohar Parrikar?” he asked, apparently referring to Monserratte, who is currently facing a trial in a rape case.

    “This is not just about Panaji. The political situation unfolding in Goa is not acceptable. It has to change,” Parrikar said.

  • Goa: Panaji civic body, 11 municipal council polls on March 20

    By PTI
    PANAJI: Elections to 11 municipal councils and the Panaji municipal corporation in Goa will be held on March 20, the State Election Commission said on Monday.

    All COVID-19 prevention guidelines will have to be followed during the polls, State Election Commissioner C R Garg told reporters here.

    The elections would be conducted for 11 municipal councils and the Corporation of the City of Panaji between 8 am and 5 pm, he said.

    Those suffering from COVID-19 infection will be allowed to vote between 4 pm and 5 pm, he said.

    A similar process was followed during the zilla panchayat elections held recently in the state, he noted.

    Goa has 13 municipal councils and a municipal corporation.

    The model code of conduct has come into force from Monday in the areas where the polls will be held, Garg said.

    He also said that by-elections to the zilla panchayat constituency of Navelim (South Goa), a ward of Sankhalim Municipal Council and 22 wards of different village panchayats would also be held on March 20.

    Detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) will be issued, which have to be followed by all stakeholders during the elections, he said.

    “I appeal to the public to follow all the guidelines so as to avoid any problem as far as COVID-19 is concerned,” he said.

    Garg further said that nominations for the elections would be accepted from February 25 to March 4 and their scrutiny would be conducted on March 6.

    Votes will be counted on March 22.

    A total of 3,10,995 people are eligible to vote for the elections and bypolls scheduled on March 20, he added.