Goa assembly results 2022: Manohar Parrikar's son, Utpal, trails in Panaji

In the run-up to the assembly polls in Goa, Utpal Parrikar had decided to contest as an Independent from the Panaji assembly constituency after being denied a ticket by the ruling BJP which preferred to field sitting MLA Atanasio Monserrate instead of him. The party cited that Monserrate had a great chance of winning the seat.

Former defence minister late Manohar Parrikar’s son, Utpal Parrikar, who is contesting as an Independent from the Panaji assembly constituency is trailing behind BJP’s ‘Babush’ Monserrate, according to ECI data.

Utpal Parrikar, who is contesting as an Independent from the Panaji assembly constituency is trailing behind BJP’s ‘Babush’ Monserrate with 4,783 votes according to early trends. (HT PHOTO.)

Expectedly, BJP nominee and sitting MLA Atanasio Monserrate has taken an early lead from Panaji with 6,531votes. The Congress’ Elvis Gomes is at a distant third with 3,062votes, according to data released by the Election Commission of India on Thursday.

In the run-up to the assembly polls in Goa, Utpal Parrikar had decided to contest as an Independent from the Panaji assembly constituency after being denied a ticket by the ruling BJP which preferred to field sitting MLA Atanasio Monserrate instead of him. The party cited that Monserrate had a great chance of winning the seat.

Election leads in Goa on Thursday threw up a few surprises as counting began with the BJP leading on 18 seats, the Congress on 12 and the fledgling AAP and TMC managing to bag a couple of seats each. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has taken a lead by over 300 votes so far in Sanquelim.

In Goa, it is primarily a contest between the ruling Bharatiya Janata party which is eyeing a straight third term in power and the opposition Congress hoping for the people’s mandate o form the government.

A total of 302 candidates are contesting the polls in Goa which is witnessing multi-cornered fights due to the presence of many smaller and regional outfits like the Trinamool Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party besides the BJP and the Congress, the two major political forces in Goa.

The voter turnout in the coastal state was 79 per cent for the assembly polls.

On Monday, a number of leading exit polls predicted a hung assembly in the coastal state amid speculation of various post-result combinations.

Besides the BJP and Congress, the two major political parties to reckon with in Goa, the Goa Forward Party, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Aam Aadmi Party and Trinamool Congress apart from several independents have contested the polls in Goa.