Rupesh Samant

Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Nov 26: Goa Forward Party chief and former deputy chief minister, Vijai Sardesai on Tuesday apologized for his continued support to BJP-led government after the demise of late Manohar Parrikar in March last year.

Sardesai was ousted from the cabinet in July last year along with two of his other colleagues– Vinod Palyekar and Jayesh Salgaonkar by chief minister Pramod Sawant after BJP gained majority on the floor of the House on its own.

“I am not reluctant to admit that I was wrong in my continued support to BJP after Parrikar’s death. It was an emotional time and I felt obligated to him in his final moments even though he was unsure of Dr Pramod Sawant as his successor. For this, I say sorry,” Sardesai tweeted on Tuesday.

Goa Forward Party, which had won on three seats during the 2017 state legislative assembly election, had supported Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister along with other parties including Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and three Independents.

After the demise of Parrikar on March 17, due to pancreatic ailment, GFP continued its support to BJP when Sawant was selected as his successor.

All the three GFP ministers were dropped from the cabinet in July when ten Congress MLAs switched over to join BJP.