Parrikar appointed Minister of Monserrate: Tanavade in Utpal | Goa News

Panaji: BJP State Chairman Sadanand Shet Tanavade hit back at former Union Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar’s son Utpal on Sunday and said it was Parrikar himself, as CM, who in 2002 had appointed Atanasio “Babush” Monserrate minister in his cabinet. Tanavade said the ex-CM always worked in the interest of the party and the BJP worked within its values.
Tanavade was reacting to Utpal’s resignation from the BJP to contest his father’s seat of Panaji as an independent in the upcoming February 14 polls.
Utpal had said his main objection was that Monserrate would get Panaji’s BJP ticket despite several criminal cases pending against him.
“I don’t want to comment on what Utpal has to say. Our respect goes to Manohar Parrikar,” said Tanavade when asked about Utpal’s statement that he is ready to step down from the race for Panaji as a independent if the party gives a ticket to a “clean” candidate.
“If we have learned anything in the party about ethics and compromise, it is from Manohar Parrikar,” Tanavade said. “If you remember, when Manohar Parrikar became CM in 2002, Monserrate was in his cabinet. Later, in 2017, when the government under Parrikar was again formed, Monserrate was appointed chairman of the PDA.
Tanavade said Parrikar always knew “the importance of ethics and compromise in politics”. “Even though he never compromised on principle, it is possible that many decisions also did not conform to his wishes. Yet he always compromised when the interest of the party was at stake. He did what was best for the party, even if that meant he sometimes had to take a step back,” he said.
Tanavade was reacting to Utpal’s resignation from the BJP to contest his father’s seat of Panaji as an independent in the upcoming February 14 polls.
Utpal had said his main objection was that Monserrate would get Panaji’s BJP ticket despite several criminal cases pending against him.
“I don’t want to comment on what Utpal has to say. Our respect goes to Manohar Parrikar,” said Tanavade when asked about Utpal’s statement that he is ready to step down from the race for Panaji as a independent if the party gives a ticket to a “clean” candidate.
“If we have learned anything in the party about ethics and compromise, it is from Manohar Parrikar,” Tanavade said. “If you remember, when Manohar Parrikar became CM in 2002, Monserrate was in his cabinet. Later, in 2017, when the government under Parrikar was again formed, Monserrate was appointed chairman of the PDA.
Tanavade said Parrikar always knew “the importance of ethics and compromise in politics”. “Even though he never compromised on principle, it is possible that many decisions also did not conform to his wishes. Yet he always compromised when the interest of the party was at stake. He did what was best for the party, even if that meant he sometimes had to take a step back,” he said.