My father's path of politics ended on March 17: Utpal Parrikar

Panaji, July 10 (IANS) Reacting to the developments late Wednesday, when the BJP engineered a split in the Congress and inducted breakaway MLAs into its fold, Utpal, son of former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar, said the path of trust that the Parrikar-led BJP had walked, ended on March 17, with the former Defence Minister's death.

Speaking to IANS, Utpal said he was willing to take the lead to help re-establish the philosophy of trust among the party's committed cadre, "at the cost of repercussions".

"The path of trust which Parrikar established in his politics ended on March 17," Utpal said, commenting on the dramatic developments on Wednesday, during which 10 Congress MLAs broke away from the parent party and joined the BJP, taking the party's tally from 17 MLAs to 27.

Utpal was first tipped to represent his father's seat of Panaji after Parrikar's death on March 17 during the May assembly by-election, but was suddenly dropped by the party in favour of Sidharth Kuncalienkar.

Utpal Parrikar also said that "only time would tell" whether the committed BJP workers would accept the trend of MLAs from other parties joining the BJP.

When asked he if would take the lead of re-establishing and walking the path of trust, which, he said, was the hallmark of his father's politics, Utpal said: "I am willing to do it. There will be repercussions, but I am willing to face thema".