Parrikar set to become Modi's cabinet minister

Panaji, Nov 6: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Thursday virtually confirmed his elevation to the union cabinet even as the BJP legislators are expected to meet Friday to discuss his successor. While Parrikar is being tipped for the key defence ministry portfolio, one of the two held by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the 58-year-old Parrikar said he had been instructed by BJP president Amit Shah to accept any responsibility entrusted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Parrikar, however, told the media that the portfolio he is to get had not been revealed to him yet. "Amit Shah told me to accept any assigment given to me by the prime minister. The second part is the prerogative of the prime minister," said Parrikar, ending the speculation of his appointment as a cabinet minister.