Manohar Parrikar unlikely to return to Goa as CM

New Delhi: Defence minister Manohar Parrikar, once hailed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “among the brightest of gems” in his team, is unlikely to return to Goa politics for now. Despite a growing demand from its Goa unit that Mr Parrikar should be sent back to assume the mantle of chief minister if the BJP retains power, the BJP high command, it was learnt, is not in favour of “disturbing” the Union Cabinet.

In Uttarakhand also, it is unlikley that the party high command would favour one of its former chief ministers for the top post. The three former chief ministers — B.C. Khanduri, B.S. Koshiyari and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank — are currently members of Parliament and the central leadership, sources said, told the state leadership that “jo MLA hai wo MLA rahenge aur jo MP hain wo MP he rahenge (the MLAs will remain MLAs and the MPs will stay MPs)”.

In Goa, where the Assembly election is scheduled for February 4, Mr Parrikar is playing a key role in the party’s election strategy, and is one of the “star campaigners”. Sources said that if the BJP manages to retain power, Mr Parrikar would have a big say in the selection of current chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar’s successor.

Mr Parsekar’s tenure has been marred with controversies. Maharash-trawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), which snapped its ties with the BJP earlier in January, was also critical of Mr Parsekar’s leadership. The name of Union minister Sripad Naik, who is an MP from the state, is also doing the rounds as a potential candidate for the state chief minister’s post.

In Uttarakhand, where Assembly elections are scheduled for February 15, the names of former BJP chief ministers, who are now members of Parliament, are still circulating for the chief minister’s post. But, the party high command seems to be in favour of giving responsibility to a “new face”. However, supporters of Satpal Maharaj, who had joined the saffron fold from Congress ahead of the last Lok Sabha elections, are also lobbying for him to get the top post. Meanwhile, Vijay Bahuguna, who was a Congress chief minister, but later switched to the BJP, is lobbying hard for a BJP ticket for his younger son Saurabh from the Sitarganj Assembly constituency, from where the Bahuguna senior is currently an MLA.