Parrikar, ‘PM material’ who never aspired to be one

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 17

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in February, last year, passed away on Sunday.

Parrikar, 63, passed away at a time when his party—the BJP—needed him the most, just ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections.

It is a huge void that the saffron party will find difficult to fill. Simple in demeanour, Parrikar was sharp, in control and meticulous with details.

His political and administrative acumen made him essential for the BJP in Goa.

Parrikar loved Goa and Goa loved him back, making him almost indispensible for the party which sent him back from the Centre in 2017 to keep the state.

Yesterday, rival Congress wrote to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha staking claim to form the government, claiming that the Parrikar-led government had lost majority in the Assembly following the demise of BJP MLA Francis D’Souza.

The strength of Goa Assembly reduced from 40 to 37 MLAs after D’ Souza’s death and resignation of two sitting Congress MLAs—Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte. After Parrikar’s death it will be down to 36.

The Congress currently has 14 MLAs, down from 16 after Sopte and Shirodkar joined the BJP

The BJP now has 12 MLAs. Goa-based parties of Maharashtravadi Gomantak Paksha (MGP) and Goa Forward (GF), with three legislators each, and three Independents, are backing the BJP. 

The next assembly elections are due in 2022. The bypolls to the three seats will be held along with Lok Sabha polls in the state on April 23.

Despite being an alliance partner, the MGP has decided to field party candidates in the bypolls against the BJP.

As the top leadership expressed shock and deep sadness, many leaders talked about how the IIT graduate was “the prime minister material” but never aspired for the post. He was happy being in Goa.

Like all Goans, he loved fish curry, king prawns and Goa — a reason why despite being chosen to head the fourth largest armed forces in the world he was the happiest in the tiny beach state.

He was among the few whom Prime Minister Modi could confide in. As the Defence Minister, Parrikar was the first among equals, at par with him.

Interestingly, Parrikar had pitched for Modi as PM—the first among senior BJP leaders to do so while others were waiting for their cues.

However, that did not stop him speaking his mind or on the Gujarat riots. Once he said in an interview that he would have handled the 2002 riots better.

Parrikar had also once compared LK Advani to “rancid pickle”, ignoring the possibility that the veteran could be the PM. 

Simple to the core, the first time he flew home as defence minister, it was on an economy ticket in a regular flight.

For those in the Lutyen’s Delhi, Parrikar’s unassuming ways came as pleasant surprise. His lack of interest in privileges that come with the post made him a refreshing change for officials working with him.

Many saw similarities between his rumpled, bush-shirted look and the ‘common man’ played by actor Amol Palekar in the seventies and eighties.

Coming from a family of Goud Saraswat Brahmins (the powerful minority that decided the fate of modern Goa, politically and economically), he had strong roots in the Sangh .

After he lost his wife Medha to cancer in 1999 he dedicated himself completely to work and bringing up their two sons.

He leaves behind a turbulent party in Goa, and it remains to be seen how well the BJP handles it henceforth.