BJP faces flak in Goa over Parrikar comment

The opposition in Goa has reacted sharply to BJP President Amit Shah's comment that a new BJP government in the state will be led by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar even if he is in Delhi.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) likened Parrikar to Sonia Gandhi and the manner in which the Congress President controlled the Prime Minister's Office during the UPA government.

The Congress also accused Parrikar of trying to run Goa by "remote control".

AAP spokesperson Oscar Rebello said the BJP was being hypocritical in its approach.

"For 10 years, they told us Sonia Gandhi is an extra-constitutional power and what right does she have to instruct Manmohan Singh. Now Manohar Parrikar is Goa's Sonia Gandhi. Without contesting elections from Goa, he will be ruling from Delhi," Rebello said.

"There is a lot of demand for Parrikarji, in Delhi and here too. Hundreds of people from here (Goa) too say, send Parrikarji here. There, Narendra bhai needs him," Amit Shah said on Monday.

"But I want to say one thing. Wherever Parrikarji is, the government in Goa will be under the leadership of Parrikarji. Goans should be assured of that," he told a rally in the port town of Vasco, 35 km from Panaji.

"This is nothing but rule by remote control," opposition leader Pratapsingh Rane told IANS.

--IANS

maya/ahm/mr