Manohar Parrikar to contest from Panjim for Goa Assembly, Kuncalienker to vacate seat

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who has to get elected to the Legislative Assembly within six months of taking charge as CM, will be contesting from the Panjim Assembly constituency.

Parrikar, who took oath as chief minister in March after resigning as defence minister, is heading the BJP-led coalition government in his home state.

"The party has decided that CM Parrikar will contest from Panjim, so MLA Sidharth Kuncalienker has willingly decided to resign," said state unit BJP president Vinay Tendulkar.

Earlier, party workers from Panaji and Curchorem seats, currently represented by BJP, had urged Parrikar to contest from their respective constituencies.

Parrikar has in the past contested from the Panaji seat, which he was representing as chief minister at the time of his elevation as defence minister in November 2014.