About Laxmikant Parsekar

Laxmikant Parsekar is an Indian politician from Bharatiya Janata Party, who served as the chief minister of Goa since 2014 till March 2017. In the assembly elections held in February 2017 BJP got 13 seats but cobbled up an alliance to form the government.

The BJP high command, however, chose to make Manohar Parrikar as the new chief minister of Goa. Laxmikant Parsekar lost his own seat in the election. He had represented Mandrem constituency in the previous Goa Legislative Assembly. He took over as the chief minister on 8 November, 2014 after Manohar Parrikar moved to the Centre to serve as Union defence minister.

Early Life and Education of Laxmikant Parsekar

Laxmikant Parsekar was born on 4 July, 1956 to Yashwant Parsekar and Chandrabhaga Parsekar at Harmal village, Pernem taluka of Goa. He completed his M.Sc in 1980 and B.Ed in 1981 from Centre of Post Graduate Instruction & Research, Panaji, Goa. He also worked as the principal of Harmal Panchakroshi Secondary School, Harmal, Goa.

Political Career of Laxmikant Parsekar

Laxmikant Parsekar shares a strong connection with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Before taking the chair of the chief minister of Goa, Parsekar served as the Minister of Health of Goa.

In 1988, Parsekar contested against Ramakant Khalap of Maharashtrawadi Gomanta Party from Mandrem constituency. Along with other ministers such as Manohar Parrikar, Shripad Naik, Union Minister of State for Health [AAYUSH Department] and current Goa Assembly Speaker Rajendra Arlekar, he built up the BJP's support base in the state.

During 1989-1990, he was elected as the secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party in the unit of Goa. From 1994 to 1999, he served as its General Secretary. In 1999, he lost the Assembly polls.

From 2000-2003 to 2010-2012, he served as the state president of the BJP. In June 2002, he was elected to the Fourth Legislative Assembly of the state. He was re-elected in the Fifth Legislative Assembly in June 2007.

In 2012, Parsekar became the Health Minister of Goa. He was sworn in as the chief minister of Goa on 8 November, 2014.

Achievements and Controversies

Laxmikant Parsekar was in controversy for having allegedly scrapped Gandhi Jayanti from Goa's state holiday list. However, Parsekar denied having said any such thing and said that it was a printing mistake.

He also said once that people in Goa are not happy with the presence of Nigerians in the state, which landed the minister in a huge controversy.

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