NT Reporter
Pernem
Former Goa chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar said he will contest the upcoming Assembly election from Mandrem as an Independent candidate, citing public demand for his return to electoral politics.
“I was a BJP worker from birth, but I am currently independent. I will contest the election, and I am confident that Mandrem and Pernem will see better days,” said the former BJP leader.
Parsekar said the 100-bedded hospital project, which was planned to be linked with Goa Medical College, has stalled. He also said the Electronic City project, for which land was acquired during his tenure, had not moved beyond paperwork despite several reputed companies expressing interest in investing.
He said unemployment among educated youth also needed to be addressed, with many households having two or three graduates or post-graduates struggling to find jobs.
Reflecting on his defeat in the 2022 Assembly election, when he polled around 1,500 votes, Parsekar said his tenure as chief minister may have distanced him from grassroots concerns.
Parsekar said he had rejected offers from other parties.
