Goa Chief Minister and former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who had been battling cancer for more than a year, has died at his home in Panaji at the age of 63. The former Defence Minister had been in and out of hospital in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since February last year. Earlier today, his office tweeted that Mr Parrikar was is "extremely critical". The three-time chief minister had said in January that he "will serve Goa till my last breath." Mr Parrikar was the Defence Minister in 2016 when India conducted a surgical strike on terror launch pads across the Line of Control days after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri. Mr Parrikar, in recent months, had made public appearances with a tube in his nose, looking frail. Mr Parrikar headed a coalition government, which is supported by the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the Maharashravadi Gomantak Party (MGP), and three Independent lawmakers in Goa. His death leaves the state in a crisis, as the Congress has written to the Goa Governor to dismiss the "minority" government, and to invite them to form the government.
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Party ideologies apart a good and gentle man will always be it. Not even cancer can kill a spirit like @manoharparrikar . Have had the honour of breaking bread with him. As will the Nation, I too will remember him.
- Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) 17 March 2019