Parrikar in Goa, likely to meet CM over RSS state unit issue

Panaji, Sep 4 (PTI) Amid rumblings in RSS’s Goa unitfollowing the ouster of its chief Subhash Velingkar, DefenceMinister Manohar Parrikar has arrived in the state and islikely to meet Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar today. Parrikar landed here last night at about 9.30 PM. "He is likely to meet the Chief Minister to take stockof the situation," a senior BJP leader today told PTI on thecondition of anonymity. The crucial meeting between the two leaders is keptaway from the media glare considering the sensitivity of theissue. Parrikar is also expected to meet state BJP leadersduring his stay here. He is likely to be here till Tuesday as the state willcelebrate Ganesh Chaturthi festival tomorrow. The senior BJP leader would be attending festivitiesat his ancestral place in Parra near Mapusa town. Velingkar had taken on the BJP government in Goa overits support for English-medium schools and was ousted from hispost as RSS’s state unit chief on August 31. He had blamed Parrikar and Union Minister NitinGadkari for the action against him. Velingkar, who claimed that hundreds of RSS workersand supporters have rallied behind him, had also asserted thatthe Sangh unit in the state will function independently of theparent body, at least till the Assembly polls. However, later striking a conciliatory note he hadsaid there was no rift in the organisation and the differenceswould be sorted out soon. PTI RPS NM GK DIPPTP