Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut backs Utpal Parrikar over Goa Assembly polls, withdraws Shailendra Velingkar from candidate list

The Shiv Sena decided to pull back its candidate from Goa's Panaji in support to the former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's son Utpal, who shall contest the state election as an independent.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had earlier urged all opposition parties to back Utpal Parrikar if he did not get a BJP ticket to contest from Panaji. In a recent tweet, Raut wrote, "We're keeping our word. Shiv Sena is withdrawing its candidate Shailendra Velingkar from Panaji."

"Not just that, our workers will fully support Utpal Parrikar. We believe that the battle for Panaji is just about election, but also about the purification of Goa Politics (sic)," Sanjay Raut added in his tweet tagging Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Aditya Thackeray.

The tweet of the Shiv Sena leader came in response to Utpal Parrikar's question that said, "You will give ticket to the person with criminal antecedent in the constituency represented by late Manohar Parrikar?"

Earlier this month, Raut had tweeted, "If Utpal Parrikar contests Independent from Panaji seat, I propose all non-BJP parties including Aam Aadmi Party, Congress, Trinamool Congress and Goa Forward Party should support his candidature and not field a candidate against him. This will be a true tribute to ManoharBhai!"