POWER-QUOTES
>> Who says we are looking for a new leader. Manohar Parrikar is our leader. There is nothing wrong with him
>> (Access to Parrikar) Whenever someone is sick there is bound to be some restriction on access to that person
>> As far as BJP is concerned Manohar Parrikar is our leader. You should go and ask Congress who is their leader
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PANAJI: Power Minister Nilesh Cabral on Friday rubbished reports that the BJP was looking for an alternate leader to replace the ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. He said, TCP Minister Vijay Sardesai's statement to the contrary is in his "personal interest".
Cabral was speaking to the media at the BJP headquarters in Panaji where new entrants Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte were welcomed into the party.
The power minister, who on Sunday had said he is hoping for a 'miracle' on Parrikar's health, asserted that the ailing Parrikar was ably leading the coalition government.
"Who says we are looking for a new leader. Manohar Parrikar is our leader. There is nothing wrong with him," Cabral said, adding that the chief minister was ably administering the State from his home.
As for access to Parrikar, Cabral said whenever someone is sick there is bound to be some restriction on access to that person. However, this is not affecting the State administration he said, adding that instructions are being issued and communication being carried out through digital and other methods.
Cabral's outburst against the reports that the BJP had launched a search for an alternate leader to replace Parrikar was in response to a query posed to Sopte, who had sought to justify his defection on grounds that there was ambiguity in the Congress as to who would lead it should the Opposition party make a bid at government formation.
"As far as the BJP is concerned Manohar Parrikar is our leader. You should go and ask the Congress who is their leader," Cabral shot back when a query was posed to Sopte that similar ambiguity on leadership which prompted him to defect existed in the BJP.
