' Facebook Posts to WhatsApp Forwards, barely a day after his birthday Utpal Parrikar is suddenly the biggest talking point of Assembly Elections 2022. Sidelined and slighted by his late father former CM Manohar Parrikar's party BJP, the younger Parrikar has set the poll climate ablaze when he said "I may also be forced to make some hard decisions...When the time comes to make a decision, I will listen to the people. I have told the party (BJP) and the party will give me (the ticket). I am confident.”

So why does the legendary Parrikar (who single-handedly built the BJP in Goa and made it taste and enjoy power) son have to take hard decisions?

Utpal's bid for Panaji seat will be stonewalled by incumbent Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate who has crossed over from Congress. With BJP rank and file now on Babush' side and his father's erstwhile ally-turned-adversary BJP Organisation Chief Satish Dhond in the driver's seat, the writing is quite on the wall as BJP facing severe anti-incumbency will not be risking an experiment with legacy.

Enter Congress. With its rank and file infiltrated by Babush's men and a bench strength of 3000+ votes, a former adversary's son would be a terrific gamble which actually may work.

Though Camp Utpal is neither acknowledging nor denying a move to Congress, the possibility cannot be ruled out too despite the Parrikar Family's RSS links over the years. Panaji voters especially the RSS, BJP karyakartas and intellectuals (Parrikar's traditional army) isnt happy with Babush (who has a string of serious criminal charges against him) and Goa's capital sees him as an embarrassment for a representative. They will do anything to bring back Bhai's legacy.

A middle path exists too of either Congress tactically not fielding a candidate and ensuring Utpal defeats Babush and then the other wicked path of Utpal eating away Babush's votes as a Congress candidate wins a la-Chirag Paswan.

Its anybody's guess where politically untested and tactically unorganised Utpal will go but then in possibly the craziest of Goa Polls dont be surprised to see another younger Parrikar waving a Congress hand bringing down what his father built.