No early Goa polls, BJP to decide CM candidate: Laxmikant Parsekar

PANAJI: Ruling out early Assembly polls in Goa, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar today said the elections would be held only early next year.

"The elections will not be held this year. They will be either in second-half of February or first-half of March next year," Parsekar told PTI in an exclusive interview on the eve four years' completion of the BJP-led Goa government.

The Manohar Parrikar-led government was inducted in the state on March 9, 2012, after BJP won with a majority.

Parrikar was later elevated to the Union Cabinet in November 2014, following which Parsekar became the CM.

Responding to a question, Parsekar said it is for the party to decide who should be the next chief ministerial face in Goa.

"I have nothing to do with it. It will be party's strategy," he said.

"I am running the government which was formed on the mandate given to Manohar Parrikar. Though the party got the majority, we had projected Parrikar as legislative party leader during 2012 polls," he stated.

"Now I feel that during 2017 polls, it is my responsibility to give the same mandate to the party," Parsekar said.