Days after BJP chief Amit Shah said the Goa government will run under the guidance of the defence minister if the party returns to power, Manohar Parrikar hinted that he was not averse to donning the chief minister’s hat again.

Top BJP leadership, Shah and Union minister Nitin Gadkari who is election in-charge of the state, have been cashing in on the popularity of Parikkar in their political speeches to checkmate anti-incumbency of the Laxmikant Parsekar government.

Gadkari was the first to fuel the buzz while addressing a public rally last week when he said that “an outsider”’ will rule the state after polls, making it obvious that he was alluding to the defence minister, who the party leader says has his heart in Panaji.

When asked if is he returning as chief minister if the BJP retains power in Assembly polls as indicated by Amit Shah, the defence minister told DH, “I have never said no to whatever responsibility party has given me.”

Through out the conversation with a select few journalists, the Union minister never revealed what was in his mind in regard to his ambition.

Parikkar accused the AAP of using the Delhi government to fund its Goa Assembly poll campaign.  He said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was making baseless allegations of corruption against the state government.