Some Unhappy Leaders Spreading Rumours I'm Ending Parrikar Legacy, Says Goa CM

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said some people who are not happy that an ordinary party worker has reached the top post in the state were spreading rumours that he was trying to end the legacy of the late Manohar Parrikar, a much loved BJP leader who died in 2019. Incidentally, the BJP did not give a ticket to Utpal Parrikar, the son of the late former CM and Union minister, for the Panaji Assembly seat for polls scheduled on February 14. In an exclusive interview to PTI, Sawant said, "I entered politics under the guidance of late Manohar Parrikar. I got elected as MLA and was chosen as Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly."

The two-time MLA from Sankhalim, who took over as CM on March 17, 2019, said Parrikar was the topmost leader of the party in the state. "Some leaders are not happy that a party worker like me has reached this post. They feel only specific people should occupy this post. That is the reason they are spreading such rumours,” he claimed. He denied that the BJP had changed since Parrikar's death, but added that "there is always a change when a leader is changed" "The BJP has not changed. Some leaders who think of themselves as bigger than the party speak about a changed BJP,” the chief minister said. Sawant said he was confident the BJP would win over 22 seats in the 40-member House due to the pro-people development that the state witnessed in the last 10 years and would not need to enter an alliance to form a government. He brushed aside talk of new entrants Trinamool Congress and Aam Aadmi Party splitting votes, which in turn would help the ruling BJP. "I have faith in the work of BJP and the party workers. I have faith in the candidates that have been selected by the party,” he said. He also claimed some so-called big leaders (not from the BJP) were indulging in "fixing" by getting others to withdraw nominations.

The CM refused to speak about candidate selection by the BJP claiming the polls were now just days away, but added that only former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Parrikar's son Utpal were contesting as Independents after being denied party tickets. "But Independent candidates won't get elected this time as voters know the BJP will form a government in Goa, hence they will vote for double engine government (a reference to the state and Centre having BJP governments)," the CM asserted. On asked if there was a mistake he committed during his CM tenure that he would not repeat, Sawant said he could not recall any. Some work may have been delayed or could have been done in a better way, he added.

PTI Inputs