Dyanamic leader BJP and former defence minister was suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar passed away on Sunday, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Twitter. Parrikar, 63, was suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer. He had reportedly been diagnosed with the disease in February 2018.
Several reports on Sunday claimed that Parrikar’s health was deteriorating, and that the BJP was making arrangements for a successor. His health took a turn for the worse on Friday night. But the CM office said the next day that he was in a stable condition.
“An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten,” the president said.
PM Narendra Modi called Parrikar an unparalleled leader and a true patriot. He said Parrikar was the builder of modern Goa. “Thanks to his cordial personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years,” Modi said on Twitter. “His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress.”