8 days before his death, Parrikar wanted to campaign for Modi: Maha CM reply to Pawar

Mumbai, Apr 14: Hitting back at NCP chief Sharad Pawar who claimed that late Go Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar quit Modi government over his disagreement in Rafale fighter jet deal, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said that, "giving statements like this after his (Parrikar's) death is not right." He also said that, "He (Parrikar) was such a man that 8 days before his death he had said that he should get the chance to campaign for Modi ji in at least 2 rallies as there won't be a PM like him."

The Maharashtra Chief Minister also remined Pawar about Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi's 'crass joke' where he wanted to imply similar thing. However, Parrikar had replied to Gandhi's any such claim. "Rahul ji too had attempted to say something like this earlier. It was a crass joke but Manohar ji was alive then, so he could give a reply," Fadnavis said.

Earlier on Saturday, NCP chief Sharad Pawar claimed that Former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar relinquished his post at the Centre and returned to Goa because he did not agree with the Rafale fighter jet deal.

"The Rafale deal was not acceptable to Manohar Parrikar. He therefore resigned from the post of Defence minister and returned to Goa," claimed Pawar.

Parrikar, who took over as defence minister in November 2014, was sworn in as Goa chief minister on March 14, 2017. He died on March 17 this year after a long battle with a pancreatic ailment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after talks with the then French President Francois Hollande on April 10, 2015, in Paris. The final deal was sealed on September 23, 2016.