Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Sidharth Kuncalienkar Wednesday tendered his resignation as MLA of the Panaji constituency, thus paving the way for Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to contest the by-election from the capital city.
State BJP president Vinay Tendulkar said that Parrikar will contest the bypoll from the Panaji legislative assembly.
Kuncalienkar had won the bypoll in Panaji when Parrikar resigned in 2014 to become the Defence Minister.
Parrikar, who was Union Defence Minister returned to Goa and formed the government with the support of left parties in the state. "I would say we certainly had expected a bigger victory margin in Panaji since it was Parrikar's constituency and he himself had campaigned heavily", said a BJP functionary, requesting anonymity.
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"The party has decided that Parrikarji should contest from Panaji".
"After the Assembly election results there was a unanimous decision that Manohar Parrikar should lead the government. The decision was convyed to him last night", he said. "Accordingly sitting Panaji MLA Sidharth Kunkolienkar has voluntarily chose to step down", Tendulkar told reporters. "He always leaves them for the party to decide". Tendulkar said that the Chief Minister has been getting elected from Panaji constituency for several times and was not willing to leave his own people. "It was the party's decision that Kuncalienkar should vacate his seat".
On April 19, the BJP had said that it was holding discussions with two of its legislators in the state on the same.
Former Congress MLA Vishwajeet Rane, who resigned from the party after the Congress failed to form a government in Goa, will also contest elections from Valpoi, the Indian Express reported.
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