Panaji: Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar will resign from its post on Saturday, said report. Several sources had already stated for the elevation of Parrikar from Goa to Delhi and they also said that he may hold the responsibilities of Defence Ministry.
According to reports, Parrikar will resign after meeting with the 21 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators and will also discuss the names of his successor.
Notify that as Manohar Parrikar to resign, Assembly Speaker Rajendra Arlekar is a frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post and Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza and Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar are also in the fray.
Parrikar had said on Thursday that he would be meeting the BJP MLAs on Friday to brief them about the development. He, however, refused to say anything about who would be his successor.
He said, “There are many issues in deciding the successor… his capacity to deliver and to take everyone along. That is party’s internal assessment.”
Notify that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is currently handling the additional charge of Defence Ministry since the Narendra Modi cabinet took oath in May earlier this year.
Goa CM said BJP chief Amit Shah had asked him to take up an assignment at the Centre, if offered, and that he was willing to shoulder the responsibility.
He said, “BJP president Amit Shah spoke to me in the morning and asked me to accept any assignment that would be given by the Prime Minister.”
Parrikar, meanwhile did not disclose whether PM Modi had offered him the Defence portfolio during their meeting on Wednesday.
He said, “I want to give proper information as far as joining the cabinet is concerned. It is the prerogative of the Prime Minister. However, I would like to inform that the party has indicated to me that if such assignment comes, you should accept it.”
He said, “The party would not have asked me (to accept the offer) if they (top BJP leaders) had not interacted with the Prime Minister.”
Parrikar said that whether he is not comfortable to shift in Delhi but if nation wants his services then he will surely come in Centre.
He said, “I am not comfortable; I have too much affection towards the state. But rationality tells me if nation requires your services, I should take it. Whenever Goa wants my services, I will be there.”
He said, “One reservation (about moving to Delhi) is because I have been elected for a five-year term with a popular mandate. My feeling is unless I complete the term it is not right on my part to leave mid-way. If I get an offer from the Prime Minister, then I will let you know what are my reasons for accepting the offer.”
Bureau Report
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