Panaji: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at the state Assembly complex here and enquired about his health. “This morning I visited Goa CM, Manohar Parrikar, to wish him a speedy recovery. It was a personal visit,” Gandhi tweeted.


The meeting comes a day after Rahul Gandhi alleged that the "Goa audio tapes", cited by the Congress to attack the Centre on the Rafale issue, were authentic and Parrikar is in possession of "explosive secrets" that give him power over Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Parrikar was the defence minister when the controversial deal was signed. He moved to Panaji after the BJP minted an alliance to form the government in 2017.

Gandhi who is in Goa for a vacation in the coastal state with his mother Sonia today afternoon went to meet the chief minister in his chamber in the Assembly complex. He later went to the opposition lobby in the Assembly to meet Congress MLAs. He held a meeting with them for 10 minutes before departing from the venue.

The Congress chief refused to talk to waiting media persons, saying, "I am getting late."


Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, who accompanied Gandhi to meet Parrikar, said, "It was a courtesy visit to enquire about Parrikar's health. There was no discussion other than enquiring about his health condition." Kavlekar said Rahul Gandhi had an informal discussion with Congress MLAs in Goa as he would be arriving here next month to address party workers, reported PTI.


63-year-old Parrikar is suffering from a pancreatic ailment and the Congress has often questioned the BJP for making him hold onto the chair.