<p>Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar today claimed that he would be the party's face for the 2017 Legislative Assembly elections in the state. "Since I am the Chief Minister, definitely I will be the face. I have to get the party re-elected to the power. I have only two and half years," Parsekar told PTI in an interview here this evening.<br /><br /></p>.<p>He took over the reins after his predecessor Manohar Parrikar joined the Union cabinet.<br />"I have only one-and-half-year, because the last one year in the run-up to the polls is always marked by the protests and unnecessary issues raised by the opposition. So I have to prove my capability in the next one and half years and get my party ready for the polls," he said.<br /><br />Stating that BJP's victory in 2012 was a collective one, Parsekar said that Parrikar had been projected as the face, but the election was fought by the party.<br /><br />"I was Goa unit chief during the polls, so naturally I was second in the pecking order after Parrikar. In other states, the party presidents have first claim on Chief Minister's post," he stated.<br /><br />"Had I coveted the Chief Minister's post, the party would not have succeeded. I would have been busy picking candidates who will support me after the polls. But that never happened. So my role helped the party win the 2012 polls," he said.<br /><br />To another question, he said, it would be "childish" to comment on whether BJP would fight the 2017 elections in alliance with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, as in 2012.</p>
<p>Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar today claimed that he would be the party's face for the 2017 Legislative Assembly elections in the state. "Since I am the Chief Minister, definitely I will be the face. I have to get the party re-elected to the power. I have only two and half years," Parsekar told PTI in an interview here this evening.<br /><br /></p>.<p>He took over the reins after his predecessor Manohar Parrikar joined the Union cabinet.<br />"I have only one-and-half-year, because the last one year in the run-up to the polls is always marked by the protests and unnecessary issues raised by the opposition. So I have to prove my capability in the next one and half years and get my party ready for the polls," he said.<br /><br />Stating that BJP's victory in 2012 was a collective one, Parsekar said that Parrikar had been projected as the face, but the election was fought by the party.<br /><br />"I was Goa unit chief during the polls, so naturally I was second in the pecking order after Parrikar. In other states, the party presidents have first claim on Chief Minister's post," he stated.<br /><br />"Had I coveted the Chief Minister's post, the party would not have succeeded. I would have been busy picking candidates who will support me after the polls. But that never happened. So my role helped the party win the 2012 polls," he said.<br /><br />To another question, he said, it would be "childish" to comment on whether BJP would fight the 2017 elections in alliance with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, as in 2012.</p>