PANJIM: “Manohar Parrikar was a father-figure for me and fulfilling all his pending dreams is going to be my top priority,” the newly sworn-in Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said, as he visited Parrikar’s residence before assuming charge of the State government on Tuesday.
The 45-year-old Sawant is the successor of Parrikar, the four-time chief minister, who passed away on March 17 evening, after battling cancer for over a year. The former BJP stalwart, Parrikar, was in fact instrumental in getting Sawant into State politics by offering him the Sanquelim assembly constituency ticket in 2012.
“I have said this in the past and I am saying it again now, that it is only because of Parrikarbhai I am in politics today. I became the MLA, Speaker and now the Chief Minister, only because of his blessings. Bhai has been my idol in the politics; my guardian and a father figure for me over the years,” Sawant told media persons after making a courtesy call to Parrikar’s sons Utpal and Abhijat at their residence in Dona Paula.
“I may not be able to work like him (Parrikar), but would definitely try to do that….I will deal with public the way he used to be with them…,” Sawant said.
Responding to a question on how difficult it would be to continue without Parrikar, Sawant admitted that the vacuum that has been created with the demise of Parrikar cannot be filled and the party and he would continue to feel that.
“It is very difficult for me to continue without Parrikar. We have never imagined that way. Even when he became Defence Minister, he had given me the charge of GSIDC chairmanship. Even then his guidance was there. I worked under his guidance,” Sawant said as he recalled the old days.
“But today, we don’t have anyone to guide us like that… but we have to continue,” he lamented.
Speaking about the priority, Sawant said that fulfilling the unfulfilled dreams of Parrikar, infrastructure works planned by Bhai and human development is on his agenda for now.
“Just like Manoharbhai, I want to ensure that government works for even the last person of this society,” he said adding providing toilet facility, housing and electricity are going to be his top priority.
