Manohar Parrikar is much better now compared to when he was discharged from Delhi, Vijai Sardesai
Days after Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane expressed concern over the health of Manohar Parrikar, his cabinet colleague Vijai Sardesai today said the chief minister was doing fine.
Mr Sardesai, whose Goa Forward Party (GFP) is a ruling constituent in the BJP-led alliance government, also said the "projections" being made about Parrikar's health are incorrect.
"Parrikar's health is far better compared to his stay in the AIIMS in Delhi in September this year. The way the picture is being projected about his health is not true. Parrikar is much better now compared to when we had seen him after his discharge from Delhi," he told reporters.
Mr Parrikar, 62, was shifted to his private residence in Goa last month. He is currently recuperating at his private residence here.
Responding to a query, Mr Sardesai said, "It is natural that when a chief minister is immobile or missing in action, the administration gets affected. But we are there to take care of the unattended gaps".
Referring to a Cabinet meeting presided over by the chief minister at his residence last month, Mr Sardesai recalled that Mr Parrikar was alert and sharp.
"There were three issues which were on the agenda of the state cabinet, and were of utmost importance. I was shocked to see that Parrikar remembered them and took them up during the meeting," said the minister.
Responding to a question, Mr Sardesai said there is no issue of leadership change right now. "The issue was there when Parrikar was ill. Now he is better. Parrikar is still in power. He is still the CM. He has showed that he is there (by holding the meetings)," he said.
State Health Minister Rane had said that he believed in "miracles", when he was asked about the health of Parrikar. He later said that Parrikar was suffering from pancreatic cancer.
"Let him be peaceful with his family. That much right he has, after serving the people of Goa, that if he wants to spend some quality time with his family, nobody has the business to ask...," Rane had said.