‘Babush was given PDA due to coalition compulsions’

Without his mentor and former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, Sidharth Kuncalienker will find the going tough in Panaji, a constituency BJP has represented for 25 years. Often termed arrogant, the two-time MLA and Manohar Parrikar’s protege comes clean in an interview with TOI. Excerpts:
You defeated Atanasio Monserrate during the state assembly election in 2017, but that was with Parrikar by your side.How difficult would it be to win the election this time around?
We saw how Parrikar worked and learnt a lot. His teaching remains with us. This election we are fighting without Parrikar’s guidance, but in Panaji, karyakartas used to fight the battle because Parrikar had to be kept free (to campaign) for the rest of Goa. We fought elections in Panaji as a team, under his guidance. We will strive to replicate his teaching.
A lot of talk has been about carrying Parrikar’s legacy forward. Are you the right person to do that?
Filling Parrikar’s shoes is a huge responsibility. We have to live up to everybody’s expectations. You cannot be Parrikar; there can be only be one Parrikar in this world. He came to Panaji as a simple businessman and conquered every heart.
Panchayat minister Mauvin Godinho said Parrikar’s son Utpal was a capable candidate for Panaji byelection…
Utpal is also a capable candidate. He has got the energy and educational qualification. Just like me, he is also an engineer. It is the party’s decision to give me the ticket. I was not involved with that (process). I consider him to be my good friend and a capable leader.
BJP has always announced candidates well in advance but for the Panaji bypoll you had to file your nomination on the last day. Is it not true that it was due to factionalism within the party?
Absolutely not. The Panaji bypoll was announced before the general election, where we were working to win both the seats. This is a cadre-based party and we had consultation with everyone, including the people of Panaji. That took time. If Utpal was given the ticket, I would have worked 110 percent, 10 percent more than the work I do for myself.
BJP has been claiming that Monserrate has criminal cases against him but he had an understanding with Parrikar during the last election, where he stepped aside, and was then rewarded with the Greater Panaji PDA. Isn’t that hypocritical?
Babush was given Greater Panaji PDA due to coalition (compulsions). We are in a coalition government and have to follow a common agenda with the help of all alliance (partners). When people have given a verdict where you have to add to get to the magic figure (and form a government), everybody has to be taken together. He had to be accommodated because of the coalition alliance.
For the last 25 years, Parrikar has been representing Panaji, but there is a perception that he could not deliver…
I think he has delivered. We are forgetting our past. We are forgetting the city. Mala bridge, second bridge at Patto and four-lane road has provided relief to Panajikars. Development work has been taken under the Smart City project. Panaji is developing, (so) problems will keep cropping up.
The general perception is that you are arrogant.
Everyone has their own perceptions. I have been available to everyone all the time. I am not a superman. I am human, and if I have done something which someone didn’t like, I am willing to apologise. It was not intentional. I have no ego, and I am here to serve the people. There are some people who say good things about me too.