Panaji, Oct 24 (TOI): Former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Tuesday called state BJP president Vinay Tendulkar “incompetent and a saleable commodity”. He clarified that his outburst was applicable to Tendulkar only, and was not directed at chief minister Manohar Parrikar or BJP national president Amit Shah. Parsekar said that Tendulkar is only saying what is dictated to him. “He should shut up and keep quiet,” Parsekar said. “Tendulkar should vacate the BJP Goa president’s chair immediately.

“Whatever I said, it was all for Vinay Tendulkar alone,” Parsekar said. “It was not for Parrikar. Why should I say it to him, who is bed-ridden at present. The national president is in New Delhi. That was all for Tendulkar, and my stand is still the same. Whatever I said to Tendulkar still stands.”

‘Tendulkar is incompetent’

Parsekar was reacting to Tendulkar’s statement on Tuesday that Parsekar should apologise for abusing him, Shah and Parrikar. Parsekar said that there is no question of him apologising.

“He (Tendulkar) has proven to be inefficient, incompetant and a saleable commodity,” Parsekar said. “One should listen to whatever (ex-Congress MLA Dayanand) Sopte is claiming to have been promised, see what he (Tendulkar) is saying, and see who is the liar of the two.” Sopte who recently joined the BJP, publicly said that the GTDC chairmanship and a cabinet berth has been promised to him before November 15. Tendulkar, on the other hand, said that Sopte joined the party without any conditions.

“Many people are calling me,” Parsekar said. “I am getting 20-25 calls per day. They say to me that you lead the way and we are with you. Tendulkar should vacate the chair of the president immediately. He doesn’t have a mind of his own. He just says what is prompted and dictated to him. He has to shut his mouth and keep quiet.”