MAPUSA
A tense situation unfolded in Pirna village of Tivim constituency on Friday evening when Fisheries Minister and local MLA Nilkanth Halarnkar came face to face with Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) President Manoj Parab during the BJP’s ongoing ‘GST Utsav’ campaign.
The incident occurred around 5.30 pm while Halarnkar, accompanied by nearly 30 BJP karyakartas, was moving from shop to shop in Pirna to explain the recent reduction in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates and outline the responsibilities of traders under the government’s new initiative.
However, the campaign took a political turn when Parab, who hails from Pirna and is seen as a heavyweight in Tivim politics, directly confronted the minister. He questioned why notices had been issued to roadside shopkeepers in the village in connection with road widening.
Police maintain calm
A sizeable police force, which had been deployed as part of Halarnkar’s security detail, stepped in swiftly to ensure that the exchange did not escalate.
Eyewitnesses described the situation as “tense but under control,” with both sides refraining from any physical confrontation.
Political undertones
Parab, who had contested the 2022 Goa Assembly elections from Tivim constituency and polled over 5,000 votes to finish third, is steadily consolidating his base in the area.
His sharp questioning of Halarnkar on local development issues reflects RGP’s strategy of challenging the BJP on grassroots concerns. “Shopkeepers are already under pressure, and instead of supporting them, your government is serving notices. This is harassment,” Parab told Halarnkar during the exchange.
Parab hit out at Halarnkar, saying, “This MLA skips local Gram Sabha meetings but finds time for such gimmicks to fool the people. He is scared, which is why he came with such a large police force.”
Halarnkar, for his part, maintained composure and continued with the campaign after the brief confrontation.
Speaking to supporters later, he said the BJP government was committed to bringing relief to traders and common citizens through the GST reduction.
“This drive is about informing shopkeepers of the benefits and responsibilities under the new tax structure,” the minister said.
Growing contest in Tivim
The face-off in Pirna is being seen as more than just a moment of friction.
With Parab’s rising clout and his vocal stance on local issues like land, displacement and development projects, the RGP is expected to mount a stronger challenge to the BJP in Tivim in the next Assembly polls.
Friday’s incident underscores the sharpening political rivalry in the constituency, where Halarnkar’s established influence is now being directly tested by Parab’s assertive grassroots presence.
