| Manoj Parab | |
| Birth Name: | Tukaram Bharat Parab |
| Birth Date: | 18 August 1985 |
| Birth Place: | Pirna, Goa, India |
| Office1: | Party chief of Revolutionary Goans Party |
| Termstart1: | 1 January 2022 |
| Predecessor1: | Office established |
| Office2: | President of Revolutionary Goans Party |
| Termstart2: | July 2022 |
| Predecessor2: | Viresh Borkar[1] |
| Residence: | Pirna, Goa, India[2] |
| Party: | Revolutionary Goans Party (since 2022) |
| Otherparty: | Aam Aadmi Party (2016–2017) |
| Alma Mater: | Goa University (MSc) |
| Signature: | Manoj Parab signature.svg |
Tukaram Bharat "Manoj" Parab (born 18 August 1985) is an Indian politician, former geologist, and activist[3] who serves as the party chief and president of the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP), a non-governmental organization he founded in March 2017, which received recognition as a political party from the Election Commission of India in 2022.[4]
Prior to forming the NGO, Parab joined the Aam Aadmi Party as a member before the 2017 Goa Legislative Assembly election.[5] He subsequently left to form the Revolutionary Goans on 3 March 2017, along with seven founding members,[6] including Viresh Borkar and Vishwesh Naik, whom he had met during his involvement with the Aam Aadmi Party.[7]
Manoj Parab, originally named Tukaram Bharat Parab[8] was born on 18 August 1985 in the village of Pirna, Goa.[9] His father, Borot Panduronga Porobo (later Bharat Panduronga Parab), was a tabla craftsman and repairer, as well as a businessman.[10] Parab's paternal grandparents, Panduronga Crisna Porobo, originated from the village of Revora, while Rucmin hailed from Salem, Bicholim. Both of them worked as farmers. Eventually, the family relocated to Pirna, Goa when Parab's father was born.[11] Parab pursued his early education at a Catholic school before furthering his academic journey. In 2008, he successfully completed his Master of Science degree in Geology from Goa University.[12]
Following his graduation, Parab ventured into the professional world by seeking employment with various companies operated by local mining magnates such as the Timblos, Salgaocars, and Vedanta Resources. However, driven by the pursuit of improved remuneration, Parab decided to relocate from Goa. Consequently, he found employment on offshore oil rigs located in Mumbai and Gujarat.
On 14 January 2022, the Revolutionary Goans Party officially announced Parab as their designated candidate for the position of Chief Minister in the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election. In addition to this appointment, it was revealed that Parab had been selected to contest the election from two constituencies, Valpoi and Tivim. Parab stated that his decision to run from Tivim was motivated by two factors: firstly, it holds personal significance as his place of upbringing and his ancestral village, and secondly, he expressed concerns about the actions of the BJP, which he believed were having a detrimental impact on the state of Goa.[13]
Parab's electoral campaigns in both Tivim and Valpoi constituencies were unsuccessful. In Tivim, he secured the third position in terms of vote count share, losing to the two-term Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Nilkanth Halarnkar by a margin of 4,363 votes. Similarly, in Valpoi, he obtained the second position but lost to the five-term BJP candidate Vishwajit Pratapsingh Rane by a margin of 8,085 votes.[14] Political analyst Prakash Kamat expressed reservations about some of Parab's ideas, suggesting that they may not align with constitutional principles. For example, Kamat highlighted Parab's POGO Bill, which advocates granting exclusive rights to Goans. He further added, Parab has managed to generate enthusiasm among the people, as evidenced by his significant vote share. This has led to calls for him to be taken seriously as a political figure.
In March 2022, Parab outlined the strategic objectives of his party to enhance its presence within the 40-member house by 2027. The party's ambition encompasses active participation in various elections in Goa, including the Lok Sabha, zilla panchayat, and municipality elections. Parab emphasized the party's commitment to running a campaign, aiming to secure a wider base of support. In pursuit of this goal, Parab sought the guidance and mentorship of individuals from diverse backgrounds. In the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election, the Revolution Goans Party (RGP) achieved a vote share of 9.5%, equivalent to over 92,000 votes. Building upon this success, the party has set a target of attaining 3.5 lakh votes in the forthcoming elections.[15]
In March 2022, subsequent to the Legislative Assembly election, Parab declared the party's intention to participate in the forthcoming Goa village panchayat election, slated for August of the same year. Emphasizing the positive vote share obtained during the 2022 assembly election, Parab underscored the party's commitment to promoting the involvement of youth in the panchayat election. The party's overarching objective was to advance the notion of self-sustainability and empowerment within rural communities. Parab articulated the need for contesting elections at the grassroots level to combat systemic issues and eradicate corruption at the village level. Furthermore, Parab refuted allegations of his party being responsible for vote division in the assembly election, asserting that they merely provided voters with additional choices. He also indicated the party's intention to address the issue of Goan identity through their sole legislator in the assembly.[16]
Among the 186 panchayats in Goa, Parab's party, the RGP, was unsuccessful in gaining control over any panchayat, with the exception of a single victory in the Azossim-Mandur panchayat within the St. Andre constituency. This victory was achieved by a slender margin of 4–3, with the party's former president and newcomer candidate, Viresh Borkar, triumphing over the four-term BJP candidate Francisco Silveira in the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election.[17]
On 3 October 2022, Parab held a press conference to announce the candidates his party was nominating for the upcoming by-elections in three Zilla Panchayat constituencies. These by-elections were scheduled to take place on 16 October. Andrew Rebello was chosen as the RGP's candidate for the Davorlim constituency, while Leslie Gama was selected to contest from the Cortalim constituency. Sainath Korgaonkar was named as the RGP's candidate for the Reis Magos constituency.[18]
On 6 October 2022, Olencio Simoes, a leader of the Congress party, expressed a willingness to form an alliance with the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) for the forthcoming Zilla Panchayat polls. Simoes stated that the Congress party had suffered a loss of ten seats in the Assembly elections due to the actions of the Revolutionary Goans Party. He urged the RGP to demonstrate that they were not aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Simoes suggested the possibility of fielding joint candidates from the Congress and RGP for the Zilla Panchayat election, but claimed that the RGP was not open to such an arrangement.[19] In response Parab took to Twitter to assert that his party was not for sale and accused the Congress party of being affiliated with the BJP.[20]
In the by-elections, Parab's party was defeated in all three constituencies by the BJP. In the Reis Magos constituency, Korgaonkar secured the second position but lost to the BJP candidate, Sandeep Kashinath Bandodkar, by a margin of 4,244 votes. Similarly, Gama, the RGP candidate for the Cortalim constituency, finished as the runner-up, losing by a margin of 2,942 votes to an independent candidate, Merciana Mendes E Vaz, who was backed by the BJP.[21] In the Davorlim constituency, Rebello came in fourth place, losing to the BJP candidate, Paresh Naik, by a margin of 3,296 votes.[22]
In October 2022, Parab made an announcement regarding the party's approach to engaging with leaders from regional parties across the country.[23] During a press conference in Panaji, Parab emphasized the RGP's commitment to its ideology and expressed its intention to reintroduce the POGO Bill in the state legislative assembly. Parab also held meetings with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray in Mumbai. Parab clarified that the RGP maintains its independence from any specific political party and positioned itself as the principal opposition to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming 2027 Goa assembly polls. He further emphasized that the contest would primarily involve the RGP and the BJP. Parab remarked that the Revolutionary Goans Party has developed its own distinctive revolutionary model, differentiating itself from the approach of the Shiv Sena (SHS).[24]
In a 2022 interview with Outlook, Parab recounted his personal experience, highlighting the challenges faced by many Goans when it comes to property ownership. He mentioned that he and his family had been residing in the census town of Colvale on a rental basis for around 20–25 years before relocating to Bicholim, where they acquired their own apartment. Parab expressed a sense of sadness regarding this aspect of his journey, emphasizing that his story resonates with numerous Goans who encounter difficulties in purchasing property. As residents of Goa, they are often constrained to renting accommodations or frequently changing their place of residence.
On 9 December 2022, Parab married Veena Parab (née Asolkar),[25] a homemaker, in a private ceremony, and he subsequently announced the event on social media.[26]