The political situation in Goa has been unstable for months, and the BJP has been facing ally troubles and flak from the Opposition over Parrikar's failing health
Moneycontrol News
An audio tape alleging that Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar could blackmail the Centre on Rafale has caused discontent within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members of the state, Indian Express has reported.
Senior leaders of the state unit of the party admitted to the paper that while Parrikar is yet to order a probe into the matter even though he has questioned the authenticity of the tape, the "damage has been done."
"I have asked the Chief Minister to give orders for a probe, involve CID or any specialised agency. This report has to be made public," Nilesh Cabral, BJP spokesperson, told the daily. Cabral added that the tape has caused "political damage" to the party, making the situation "a bit difficult."
"But we are always positive. Things will fall in place," Cabral said.
Echoing his party colleague, former Goa CM and a core committee member of the BJP, Laxmikant Parsekar, admitted these are "difficult and challenging times for the BJP."
"It has definitely created confusion in the minds of the people," Parsekar said. Parsekar has been demanding for a reshuffling in the BJP's state hierarchy for a long time.
On January 2, ahead of the crucial debate on Rafale in the Lok Sabha, the Congress released an audio tape of Goa’s health minister Vishwajit Rane, in which he purportedly made the sensational claim about Rafale files "lying" inside Parrikar's "bedroom." Parrikar had refuted the claim while Rane had called it a "conspiracy of national interest".
The political situation in Goa has been unstable for months, and the BJP has been facing ally troubles and flak from the Opposition over Parrikar's failing health.
