Will continue to guide Goa government in policy decisions: Manohar Parrikar

PANAJI: Former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has said he has been asked by the BJP high command to guide the Laxmikant Parsekar-led state government, even after he takes over a bigger role at the Centre.

"I will always be guiding Goa government. I may not interfere with the state government, but I will be helping it in the policy decisions. The party high command has asked me to take that role," Parrikar said, before leaving for Delhi to be inducted today into the Union Cabinet where he is tipped to get the Defence portfolio.

Parrikar, the BJP's popular face in the state, said he has been asked by the party to help the team in Goa.

"You will not find me interfering with the government, but my role would be restricted to (guiding in) policy decisions," he said.

Goa's new Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had told the media yesterday that Parrikar would be consulted for important decisions, including the upcoming Cabinet expansion and allocation of portfolios.

Parrikar said during his two-and-half years' tenure as CM, he worked at a pace three times more than normal.

"I was handling the administration single-handedly. I was working for seven days, putting in 16 hours of work a day. Even if you calculate the number of hours put in, you can feel that it is two-and-half times more than normal," he said.

"God has given me a good knack of administrative capabilities. That helped me in governing the state," the 58-year-old leader said, admitting that he wanted to complete the tenure (to end in 2017).

The former chief minister said the support and love extended to him by the people of Goa was enormous.

"...Goa has a typical character. If you are loved here, you will get love in abundance and if you are hated, then people will boot you out," Parrikar said.