National-level leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have requested the sons of Manohar Parrikar, the late Goa chief minister, to join the party, State party president Vinay Tendulkar said on Monday.
“BJP national vice-president Avinash Rai Khanna has informally requested both sons of Parrikar, Utpal and Abhijat, to join the BJP and work for the party as their father did, when he met them after Parrikar’s death. We will, of course, follow up on the matter with the sons on behalf of the party,” Mr. Tendulkar said. “But this is not the time to discuss these matters with them,” he said, replying to a specific question in this regard at a press conference at the party headquarters.
Parrikar’s Assembly constituency of Panaji is vacant on account of his death on March 17 due to pancreatic cancer. His older son Utpal is one of the contenders for the post, BJP sources confirmed. During his political career, Parrikar did not bring his sons into politics.
Asked about the possibility of the Panaji ticket being given to Mr. Utpal, Mr. Tendulkar said the party will take a call on the candidature only after the by-election was notified.
