Natarajan's exit as minister good for Goa: Parrikar

Goa Chief Minister said the minister was blocking 'all proposals' sent by the state government

The exit of Jayanthi Natarajan as union minister of state for environment and forests was good for Goa, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said here Sunday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader also said the Congress would be "gone, gone, gone, gone" in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Parrikar was speaking to reporters outside the state BJP office after a meeting called to discuss the arrangements for prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's Jan 12 public meeting in Goa.

"Her (Natarajan's) exit from the ministry is good news for Goa. She was blocking all proposals sent by the Goa government. I had complained about her to the prime minister on several occasions. Her replacement Moily on the other hand is good," he said.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister M. Veerappa Moily has been given additional charge of the ministry of environment and forests.

On the Congress' chances in the 2014 general elections, Parrikar said the party stood no chance.

"It is gone, gone, gone, gone. It's too late for the Congress to do anything about it," Parrikar said.

Parrikar said Modi's meeting could be the biggest Goa has ever seen.

"We are expecting a crowd of at least 1.5 lakh," he said.