The Goa unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is preparing the ground to foist the late chief minister Manohar Parrikar’s “dynasty” upon the State, the Congress said on Thursday.
Addressing the press, Goa Congress spokesperson Trajano D’Mello said the Congress was not worried about the entry of Parrikar’s sons into politics. Referring to a joint statement issued by Utpal and Abhijat Parrikar on March 30, twelve days after their father’s death, Mr. D’Mello said, “It is not a legacy. It is a dynasty. Let the people of Goa know how the dynasty is coming forward.”
In their statement, the brothers had pledged that they would honour their father’s life by carrying on with his legacy of service to the State and the nation.
Parrikar’s death, after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer, has left a void in the Goa BJP and a section of party leaders have been urging his sons to work for the party. Some even suggested that the older son, Utpal, contest the Panaji by-poll.
This constituency had been represented by the late Parrikar for several years apart from the small break while he was Defence Minister at the Centre.
Mr. D’mello said a mere “expression of intent” by the late Chief Minister’s sons about joining politics does not mean they had actually hit the political ground.“When it happens, let them first join (politics), then we will take a call on whether we should welcome them or work hard to defeat them,” Mr. D’Mello said.
He also said the BJP in Goa was in the process of building dynasties, citing the case of Joshua D’Souza, the party’s candidate for the Mapusa assembly by-poll, son of the late Francis D’Souza, former deputy chief minister who died in February.
The late D’Souza was a long time MLA representing the Mapusa constituency for the s BJP during several recent terms and also for other parties like the now-defunct Rajiv Congress, a regional outfit.
“It looks like they are bringing it (the dynasty) to Panaji too,” he added.
