Goa Deputy CM D'Souza threatens to quit if not made CM

Panaji: In a development which could embarrass the BJP on the eve of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's impending elevation to the union cabinet, Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza threatened to quit the government if he was not made the chief minister.

The tantrum by D'Souza comes a day before the Bharatiya Janata Party swears in a new chief minister following the elevation of Parrikar to the union cabinet, possibly as defence minister.

"If I am not made chief minister, I do not wish to continue in the government," said D'Souza, who has the backing of six BJP legislators, including at least three Catholic legislators and two independents.

Since Friday morning, a section of BJP's Catholic legislators have been demanding that a Catholic be made the chief minister.

Two of the top contenders for the Goa chief minister's post are Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Speaker of the assembly Rajendra Arlekar.