Though Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar tried ending his meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi by stalling all speculations that he is the next Defence Minister, various reports have stated otherwise. Mr Parrikar said after meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "He did not say anything about that (becoming a union minister)... you should ask him."
Meanwhile, Amit Shah has not ruled out Parrikar's appointment as the Defence Minister and even told reporters otherwise that the party would be in a position to announce once Modi decides on the matter.
Manohar Parrikar took over as leader of Goa in 2012 after the BJP won the election and has managed to keep the state a strong BJP foothold. Known to be a technocrat with Hindutva ideology, Parrikar is a strong contender to acquire the post due to his political acumen and strong decision making skills.
Meanwhile, different factions of BJP have been discussing Modi's plans to expand his council of ministers and get a full time Defence Minister. Currently Modi's cabinet consists of 22 cabinet ministers and 22 other ministers of state. The decision to move Manohar Parrikar from Goa to the Centre will relieve Arun Jaitley's responsibilities who currently has been doubling up as Finance and Defence minister.
According to reports by Firstpost, "Manohar Parrikar may soon resign from his current job and take up a bigger assignment at the centre."
The report further added, "Parrikar was initially not inclined to move to Delhi. But when Modi again took up the issue with him, he realised the Prime Minister was actually serious about it, sources said. Parrikar has been one of the most successful BJP chief ministers and has managed to make the party acceptable in a state with a substantial Christian vote."
The cabinet expansion could take place any time before the winter session of Parliament which begins on 24 November and Narendra Modi will be leaving for his home constituency, Varanasi and follow this up with some foreign trips.
Here's a list of reasons why Manohar Parrikar will be appropriate for Defence Ministers post:
The decision maker: Manohar Parrikar is a technocrat with a perfect balance of political understanding and the need to take strong decisions when needed. As Arun Jaitley has dual portfolios, India currently lacks a fulltime Defence Minister. If Parrikar's credentials are anything to go by, he is one of the strongest bets Modi government has right now.
Apparently, Modi is selecting Parrikar for his administrative abilities and clean image. As India plans to produce indigenous weapons and cut down imports, Modi feels that Parrikar is the right person to handle the post. Parrikar is considered energetic and efficient and someone with the ability to take tough calls when needed.
RSS favourite: Manohar Parrikar is one of the favourites of the RSS and was considered by the RSS for the post of BJP president before the Sangh Parivar opted for Nitin Gadkari.
The next poster boy from camp Modi: Remember how Modi used his Gujarat Model of development as a reference point during Lok Sabha elections? Parrikar has a strong hold over Goa and has managed to keep radical outfits such as Ram Sene out of Goa while maintaining the state's tourist destination tag quite well. This has won him brownie points from Catholics who form a major chunk of Goa's populace.
Adheres to Hindutva ideology but works on inclusive development model set up by PM Modi: Besides being RSS 'favourite', Parrikar also adheres to BJP's ideology. But, does not let this affect his governance the way Modi takes political and bureaucratic decisions.
The task-master: As ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the border (LoC)are increasing rampantly and China continues excursion into Indian territory (LAC), the need for a strong defence minister is needed the most at this juncture. If he accepts the role, Parrikar will be part of the Cabinet Committee on Security which has the NDA"s big five as members which includes Modi. Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley.
Meanwhile, Parrikar has managed to take strong decisions when it came to corruption including the mining scandal that rocked the state during UPA-II governance. He has taken decisions which managed to keep the BJP government out of controversy in the state. He is known to be result-oriented the way Modi is. Besides, when the Ram Sene issue cropped up, Parikarr managed to keep the radical outfit out of the state. Even BJP managed to get rid of Pramod Muthalik after outrage over his candidature rocked social media before Lok Sabha elections.
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