Goa minister: ‘Like Jesus, Manohar Parrikar builds bridges and not walls’

Sardesai, an ally, has said he’s ready with Plan B, in case there are any political developments in the near future. The BJP-led government has two allies in the state, with Sardesai’s Goa Forward party forming a crucial ally.

Meanwhile, Parrikar will be visiting the national capital for a check-up at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday. Parrikar, who is battling cancer, will be subjected to tests at the premier medical institute in the evening. Previously, he has been to New York and Mumbai for treatment, ever since he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 11 months ago.

Parrikar will return to Goa on Saturday evening.

Parrikar’s visit to New Delhi comes a day after a contentious exchange of letters with Congress president Rahul Gandhi on the subject of Rafale deal. The Goa CM denied having made any mention of the Rafale fighter jet deal during the five-minute meeting with the Congress chief on Tuesday and wrote an open letter asking the Congress president not to use the “visit to an ailing person to feed political opportunities”.

Rahul had earlier said that the former Defence Minister ostensibly told him he had no knowledge of the ‘new’ Rafale deal. In Kochi, Rahul, addressing party workers, said, “Former Defence minister Manohar Parrikar clearly stated that he had nothing to do with the deal orchestrated by (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi to help Ambani…”