Goa legislator calls Parrikar ‘parallel PM’

Panaji, July 22 (IANS) Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar tried to hold back his smile when a legislator called him a "parallel prime minister" in the Goa assembly on Tuesday.

Speaking during question hour on the first day of the month-long assembly session, independent MLA Rohan Khaunte said Parrikar, known for his proximity to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is as good as a "parallel prime minister".

He added that therefore there should be no difficulty in getting the centre to agree to Goa’s demand for Special Status.

"We all know honourable chief minister’s position in Delhi. He is as good as a parallel prime minister," Khaunte said.

The demand for Special Status to Goa has been doing the rounds in political and social circles in the state, which has been facing challenges stemming from rapid in-migration and a resultant dilution of identity.

Responding to Khaunte’s eulogy, a smiling Parrikar jokingly suggested the legislator had flipped around his initials "MP" the wrong way.

Parrikar also said an all-party delegation will meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh in September this year to press for the Special Status demand.