The Goa government's information and publicity department Saturday unwittingly spilled the beans on former chief minister Manohar Parrikar's union cabinet ministry portfolio.
Even as Parrikar has refused to admit that he has been offered the defence ministry by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an official press release issued by the Goa department Saturday referred to Parrikar as "defence minister designate".
"Shri Parrikar, who was chief minister, demitted office today (Saturday), after he was declared union defence minister-designate," the release said late Saturday.
The press release was issued on the occasion of the swearing-in ceremony of new chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar.
Parrikar is expected to be sworn-in as a union minister Sunday.
While media reports have tipped Parrikar for the defence portfolio, currently held by Arun Jaitley, neither Parrikar nor the Bharatiya Janata Party's central leaders have officially announced the same.
