Introduction
Laxmikant Yashwant Parsekar (born 4 July 1956) is an Indian politician who has been the Chief Minister of Goa, a state in India, since 2014. He is the member of the Goa Legislative Assembly from Mandrem constituency, and he belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party. He was appointed as the Chief Minister of Goa on 8 November 2014, replacing Manohar Parrikar.
Early life and education
Laxmikant Parsekar was born on 4 July 1956 at Harmal village, Pernem taluka of Goa. He has done his M.Sc (1980) and B.Ed (1981) from Centre of Post Graduate Instruction & Research, Panaji, Goa, (then Bombay University). He was the principal of Harmal Panchakroshi Secondary School, Harmal, Goa.
Reaction to proposed "gay cure" centers
On 14 January 2015, Parsekar condemned a proposal by Goa's youth affairs minister to introduce ex-gay therapy centers to the state, saying that the minister's proposal was "ignorant" and that "homosexuality is a natural gift".
Political career
He served as Goa's Minister of Health before becoming Chief Minister and has a strong connection to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
- In 1988, he was pitted against the then strong Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party candidate Ramakant Khalap from Mandrem constituency, as a candidate of the BJP, then a virtual non-entity in Goa. He was instrumental in building the BJP's support base along with political veterans like Manohar Parrikar, Rajendra Arlekar, now Goa Assembly Speaker, and Shripad Naik, Union Minister of State for Health[AAYUSH Department].
- In 1999, he lost again in the Assembly polls again.
- In 2002, undeterred by the setback, he again contested the Assembly election, defeating MGP's Ramakant by a small margin of 750 votes.
- In 2007, he doubled his victory margin by winning.
- In 2012, he was re-elected when the BJP posted a remarkable victory, winning 21 of the 40 Goa Assembly seats.
- "Laxmikant Parsekar Sworn-In as Goa's Next Chief Minister". http://www.ndtv.com/. NDTV Convergence Limited. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
- "Who is Laxmikant Parsekar?". http://www.ndtv.com/. NDTV Convergence Limited. Retrieved 8 November 2014.