Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar died at his Panaji residence on Sunday evening just over a year after he was detected with cancer. He was 63.
“Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity,” President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted.
Hours earlier, Parrikar’s office had tweeted that his condition was “extremely critical” and “doctors are trying their best”.
Parrikar was suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer and had been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New York and New Delhi over the past year.
Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn)March 17, 2019
Parrikar had undergone treatment at several hospitals in the US, Mumbai, Delhi and Goa.
He is survived by two sons. His wife Medha Parrikar died twelve years ago.
Earlier Saturday morning, reports emerged that his health had taken a turn for the worse after his blood pressure reportedly dropped.
BJP leader Siddharth Kuncalienkar who visited the chief minister at his residence revealed that Parrikar was stable but didn’t reply in the affirmative when asked whether he got to speak to the chief minister.
Earlier this week, the BJP admitted that Parrikar would not be ‘in the field’ for the upcoming election campaign but that he would be the guiding force.
On February 26, Parrikar was discharged from the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) near Panaji.
On January 30, Parrikar had presented the state budget. He was flown to New Delhi the next day for a follow-up treatment at AIIMS.
The BJP’s tallest leader in Goa, Parrikar was sworn in as chief minister for the fourth time on May 14, 2017 after resigning from his post as the Union Defence Minister. His last term as chief minister was cut short when he was given the Defence Ministry portfolio in November 2014.
First Published:
Mar 17, 2019 20:04 IST
Source: HindustanTimes