While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is yet to announce its first list of candidates for the Goa Assembly election, the uncertainty over fielding Utpal Parrikar – son of late CM and BJP stalwart Manohar Parrikar – is indicative of fissures within the Goa BJP leadership.
It also reflects the current leadership’s reported ‘policy’ of sidelining members of the once-formidable ‘Parrikar clique’ belonging to the Saraswat community from positions of influence. This process, which began a few months after Parrikar’s demise in March 2019 has alienated the influential Saraswat community.
