TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will be arriving in Goa on Wednesday on his maiden visit to the state, after being inducted in the Narendra Modi-led government.
The local unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has planned a massive rally from Dabolim airport to Panjim to welcome the Union minister. Parrikar, the face of the BJP in Goa, will address party workers of north and south Goa in Panjim and Dabolim respectively the same evening.
Parrikar was sworn in as defence minister on November 9, a day after he resigned as chief minister of Goa. He is contesting the Rajya Sabha elections from Uttar
Pradesh.
Parrikar, will be in the state for three days, during which he will hold discussions with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar over the distribution of portfolios to the ministers. Parrikar and Parsekar are also likely to discuss various crucial pending issues like the Regional Plan, airports, special status and mining.
During his visit, he is also expected to meet all the ministers on the portfolio issue. Portfolios are likely to be allocated on November 14.
Sources say Parsekar could retain key portfolios like mining, finance, education and law.
Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza who had staked his claim for the post of chief minister, is likely to get home along with his previous departments of revenue and municipal administration.
