Goa Congress seeks appointment with ailing Manohar Parrikar to apprise him of BJP's 'opportunism' in his absence

Panaji: The Goa Congress Sunday said it would seek an appointment with ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to apprise him of how BJP leaders and state bureaucrats were taking “advantage” of his absence from office. [caption id=“attachment_5244531” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar. Reuters[/caption] Congress’ Goa unit spokesperson Swati Kerkar said the chief minister’s office and the BJP have been claiming that Parrikar’s health was improving but appointments sought by her party had been denied on health grounds. Parrikar is suffering from a pancreatic ailment and is currently being treated at his residence here after returning to the state on 14 October from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. “We want to bring to the Chief Minister’s notice how his office and the party are taking undue advantage of his absence to threaten staffers whose family members are associated with the Congress,” Kerkar said. She alleged that the state administration had “collapsed” and bureaucrats were taking advantage of the situation as there was “no one” to hold them accountable. “Today, if the chief minister’s health is improving and he is clearing files and chairing meetings through video-conferencing, then the Congress delegation should be allowed to meet him,” Kerkar said.