Manoj Parab

Tukaram Bharat "Manoj" Parab (born 18 August 1985) is an Indian former politician, businessman, activist, and geologist who served as the president of the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) from 2023 to 2026. He co-founded the non-governmental organization Revolutionary Goans (RG) in 2017, and it was recognized as a political party by the Election Commission of India in 2022.

Prior to forming the NGO, Parab joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a member in February 2016, ahead of the 2017 Goa Legislative Assembly election. He subsequently left to form the Revolutionary Goans (RG) on 3 March 2017, along with seven founding members, including Viresh Borkar and Vishvesh Naik, whom he had met during his involvement with the Aam Aadmi Party.

In May 2026, Parab resigned as president of the RGP and also stated that he was quitting active politics.

Early life Tukaram Bharat Parab was born on 18 August 1985 in Pirna, Goa to Bharat and Chandralekha Parab. His father, Bharat, was a tabla craftsman and repairer, as well as a businessman. Parab was raised in Tivim, Goa. In the third year of his Bachelor of Science studies, Parab ranked first in Geology.

Parab's electoral campaigns in both the constituencies were unsuccessful. In Tivim, he secured the third position, losing to the two-term 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 Rane by a margin of 8,085 votes.

Post-election: Criticism of the Goa Congress and the Government of Goa

Following the election, Parab outlined the strategic objectives of his party to enhance its presence by 2027. He sought the mentorship of individuals from diverse backgrounds. In the run-up to the 2022 Goa village panchayat elections, Parab articulated the need for contesting elections at the grassroots level to combat systemic issues and eradicate corruption at the village level. He refuted allegations of being responsible for vote division in the assembly election, asserting that he merely provided voters with additional choices. Parab indicated his intention to address the issue of Goan identity through Viresh Borkar in the assembly.

In October 2022, Parab accused the Goa Congress of being affiliated with the BJP after Olencio Simoes, a leader from the Goa Congress, stated that the Congress party had lost ten seats in the Assembly elections due to the Revolutionary Goans Party. The same month, Parab made an announcement to engage with leaders from regional parties across the country. He emphasized his party's commitment to its ideology and expressed his intention to reintroduce the POGO Bill in the state legislative assembly after it was deemed unconstitutional by the Government of Goa. Parab held meetings with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray in Mumbai to gain knowledge of their party policies.

In February 2023, allegations regarding unauthorized commercial activity in government toilet complexes in Calangute led Parab to publicly criticize political figures, including Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo. He further questioned the accountability of Tourism Director Nikhil Dessai, suggesting administrative responsibility for permitting such operations within the tourism department.

In November 2023, Parab objected to a legislative initiative by the Goa government that sought to legalize encroachments on communidade property. He argued that the measure was politically motivated and intended to consolidate electoral support for the BJP in several settlements across the state. He described the initiative as a renewed form of the Bhumipatra Bill and asserted that it reflected a focus on migrant voter interests in key constituencies.

2024 Lok Sabha election and political hiatus In December 2023, Parab was announced as the candidate for the North Goa Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 Indian general election. Among the main issues he raised was the Mhadei River dispute between Goa and Karnataka. Parab also stated that he did not want migrant voters, specifically those involved in illegal activities such as slum encroachments. He secured third place and was defeated by five-time BJP MP Shripad Naik by a margin of 2,11,633 votes.

After the Lok Sabha election results in June 2024, Parab took a break from active politics for around seven months. He returned in January 2025, stating that during this period he had collected feedback from voters across 28 to 30 constituencies to help prepare the RGP for the 2027 Goa Legislative Assembly election. He said they intended to contest a limited number of seats and identified land encroachment in Goa by what he described as the "Delhi lobby" as one of his central political concerns.

2026: Quitting politics In May 2026, Parab resigned as president of the RGP and also claimed to have "quit active politics forever", expressing his displeasure with internal conflicts within the party and "individual power-centric politics".

Personal life 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 lived in Colvale on a rental basis for around 20–25 years before relocating to Bicholim, where they purchased their own apartment. On 9 December 2022, Parab married Veena Parab, also a homemaker, in a private ceremony.

Parab resides in Kelwada, Pirna, Goa.

Assessments In 2022, political analyst Prakash Kamat expressed reservations about some of Parab's ideologies, suggesting that they may not align with the constitutional principles. Kamat highlighted Parab's POGO Bill, which advocates granting exclusive rights to Goans. He further added, that Parab has managed to generate enthusiasm among the people, as evidenced by his significant vote share in the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election. This has led to discussions for Parab to be taken seriously as a political figure.