BJP Minister calls Parrikar’s nephew ‘childish’, a day after video surfaces

A day after a video of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's nephew went viral in which he is seen accusing Union Minister of State for AYUSH and BJP MP Shripad Naik of ignoring party workers, the latter on Saturday termed the comments as "childish" and "indisciplined".

"The one who has spoken has come to my house at least 25 times in the last few years but he never complained or raised the issue with me... He is a child. This is childishness. They are still young, they will grow soon and everything will be ok," Naik told reporters.

"This is indiscipline and should be resolved within the organisation itself. They have to inform the President or myself if they have a problem and not speak like this," he added.

In the video, Akhil Parrikar, a member of the party's Mapusa mandal, is seen accusing Naik of ignoring party workers and the Assembly constituency of Mapusa at an internal meeting of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Mapusa mandal workers on Thursday.

He is heard saying that Naik should not take Mapusa Assembly constituency for granted, adding that Naik vanishes after he wins the elections and does not find time to meet his party workers.

Manohar Parrikar and Naik are considered two of the tallest BJP leaders in the state. While both are credited for the rise of the party in the coastal state, they have a severe trust deficit vis-a-vis each other.

Naik has been vocal about being victimised by "certain elements in the party". After the Chief Minister was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer and was unavailable in office for months, he led a campaign for leadership change in the state.

The rift between Akhil Parrikar and Naik could have a bearing on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, especially in the North Goa constituency from where the 66-year-old Union Minister has been elected four times consecutively.