Incumbent Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is a two-time Chief Minister of Goa.
Ahead of the Goa assembly elections, scheduled for February 4, senior Congress lawmaker Digvijaya Singh took a dig at former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and said that he is acting as "self-defence minister" of Goa as his "prestige" is at stake. Mr Singh is camping in Goa to oversee the Congress' campaign for the Goa elections.
"This whole election has now become extremely important for Manohar Parrikar. He is fighting Goa polls as his own election, making it a prestige issue for himself," the veteran Congress leader told reporters in Goa.
"Parrikar is now not acting as the Defence Minister of India, but as self-defence minister of Goa," the Rajya Sabha member further jibed and further claimed that Mr Parrikar's credibility within the BJP is on the line.
Referring to the Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) formed by rebel RSS member Subhash Velingkar, Mr Singh said, "RSS has openly come out against this government and are out to defeat Parrikar-led BJP in Goa."
Digvijaya Singh also took on the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party, which has projected former Inspector General of Prisons Elvis Gomes as their chief ministerial candidate.
"You can see the performance of the inexperienced MLAs and ministers in Delhi, where more than 50 AAP MLAs are charged with corruption, forgery and others," he claimed.
On January 19, the Congress party had stated that it would contest 36 of the 40 constituencies in the upcoming Goa elections. The remaining four will be left for other parties. "This is not an alliance. This is purely a seat-sharing agreement that we are having based on winnability of candidates," Mr Singh had, then, said.
(with inputs from PTI)