Rahul Gandhi Meets Manohar Parrikar, Wishes Him Speedy Recovery

Congress president Rahul Gandhi enquired about the health of ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar during a meeting on Friday in New Delhi with a senior party leader from the state, and wished him a speedy recovery.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar met Mr Gandhi in New Delhi Friday.

Mr Parrikar (62) is admitted in the All-India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in New Delhi since mid-September.

"Party chief Rahul Gandhi inquired about the health of Parrikar during my meeting with him," Mr Chodankar told PTI over the phone from the national capital.

He said Mr Gandhi wished the BJP chief minister a speedy recovery.

Mr Chodankar said his meeting with Gandhi was a courtesy visit during which they discussed organisational matters.

"He told me to be with party workers and connect to the people of the state," the GPCC president said.

The Congress is the main opposition party in Goa, where it emerged as the single largest political formation after polls in early 2017 but could not form its government.

Mr Chodankar's meeting with Mr Gandhi comes in the backdrop of the Congress seeking dismissal of the BJP-led government in Goa, claiming it has lost its majority in the assembly.

The Congress has 16 MLAs in the 40-member House. The BJP, which has 14 MLAs, is ruling the state with the help of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Goa Forward Party (which have three MLAs each), Independents (3) and the Nationalist Congress Party (1).

However, the BJP and its allies have said the Parrikar government is stable and enjoys majority in the assembly.