His farming family was a staunch supporter of then politically powerful regional outfit--Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. He was pitted against Ramakant Khalap, an influential politician in the state polity, and lost. Parsekar's decision to contest as a candidate of the
BJP, then a virtual a non-entity in the coastal state, was received with shock by his family and the village, an MGP stronghold.
"I had almost packed my bag and left the house as my family refused to digest the fact that I am contesting against MGP candidate Ramakant Khalap. It was in the year 1988 when BJP was hardly known in the state.
