Rupesh Samant

Panaji, Apr 27: Former Goa RSS chief Subhash Velingkar, who is contesting the upcoming Panaji by-election on Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) ticket on Saturday claimed that he has the capability to fill in the vacuum created in the state’s polity due to the demise of the then chief minister Manohar Parrikar.

Velingkar, who was formerly associated with Parrikar, said that he cannot be compared with Parrikar, but has the 'ability to fill in the vacuum created in Goa’s polity after the death of Manohar Parrikar'.

Parrikar, 63, had died on March 17 after a year long fight with pancreatic ailment.

“I might have political and ideological differences with Parrikar, but it is a fact that he was a tall leader and after him there is vacuum which is created,” said the former RSS chief, who was sacked from the post after his statement against Parrikar over Medium of Instruction in Elementary Education issue.

“I cannot be compared to Parrikar as two individuals are always different, but I have been senior to Parrikar and still believe and practice the ideology which he (Parrikar) was following till the year 2012 before going haywire,” he said.

Velingkar has been considered as a die hard critique of Parrikar, who went public against then chief minister over his decision to give grants to English medium schools.

Velingkar said that GSM is contesting Panaji by-poll to win and not to eat into anyone’s vote bank as it is being projected by certain section of leaders.

He said that he had decided to contest as a candidate after voters demanded him to do so. “People said that this time there is need for a face like mine to contest on GSM ticket so that the seat can be wrestled,” he said.

Velingkar said that he would be sitting in opposition benches, once elected to the House.

“Rather than getting associated with corrupt and unprincipled political parties like Congress and BJP, I would prefer to sit in the opposition,” he said.

The elections for Panaji Assembly seat are scheduled on May 19. The by-election in this constituency was necessitated after the death of Parrikar on March 17. Parrikar has been representing this constituency since 1994 on BJP ticket.