TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: A day after newly inducted Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar sent clear signals that his ministers will have to work with efficiency in every portfolio allocated to them, the former Chief Minister and present Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar also said that “if every Minister puts in additional 15 percent more efforts in their work, people of Goa will forget Parrikar as regards administration”.
Parrikar, who is set to become a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, said that the party (BJP) would be nominating its candidate for Panjim in December, who would be on par with him, accepted and easily available to people.
“I would suggest to the ministers to put in extra efforts. Even if they put in 15 percent (more efforts), people will forget Parrikar as regards administration. It will change the saying that Parrikar alone does not mean the administration,” Parrikar said addressing over hundreds of well wishers and supporters in front of Panjim BJP head office.
Parrikar, until recently the face of the BJP in Goa, was accorded a grand welcome in Goa Wednesday evening on his first visit after being inducted into the Union cabinet. Hundreds of workers welcomed Parrikar at the airport at around 4 pm. After addressing South Goa workers in Dabolim, he addressed North Goa workers in Panjim.
The former Panjim MLA was brought in a motorcade to the capital city. He was accompanied by Parsekar, Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, minister Dayanand Mandrekar, MLAs including Pramod Sawant, Subhash Phal Dessai, Nilesh Cabral, party president Vinay Tendulkar, and Goa Vikas Party leader Francisco Pacheco.
The Union Defence Minister is on a four-day visit to Goa and will be leaving Sunday evening. Parrikar will also attend the opening and closing ceremony of IFFI 2014 on November 20 and 30.
Parrikar said that he would resign as Panjim MLA by November 20 and by December, in consultation with party workers, the BJP candidate would be finalized for the constituency. “We will need a candidate who is on par with me, whom people will accept and who will be easily available to them,” he added. “Though I was born in Mapusa and had my friends there, Panjim gave me political life and I am thankful to the people,” he stated.
The Union Minister said that he would have door-to-door visits in Panjim, after Parliament’s Winter Session. He also assured to solve all the issues of Goa pending with the Centre. Parrikar appealed to people of Goa to support the Parsekar-led government and help the BJP move forward.
