Panaji, Nov 7 (PTI): Manohar Parrikar, who is tipped to get the Union Defence portfolio, said on Friday that he would resign as Goa Chief Minister on Saturday.

Amid indications that state health minister Laxmikant Parsekar has emerged as the front-runner to succeed him, Parrikar said a new chief Minister of Goa would be sworn in within two hours of his resignation.

”The BJP parliamentary board would be meeting in Delhi tomorrow morning (to decide on Parrikar's successor). After that I will resign and within two hours new Chief Minister would be sworn-in,” he told reporters after attending the crucial meeting of party legislators here this morning to discuss the names.

Sources said that, during the meeting, three names – state health minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Assembly Speaker Rajendra Arlekar and Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza - were shortlisted for the top post.

But Parrikar refused to divulge the shortlisted names. He said the list would be submitted to the party's parliamentary board, which will take a final call on it.

The party has already deputed senior leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy to oversee the developments.

The Bharatiya Janata Party legislators, who met at Porvorim on Friday, hinted that Parsekar is the front-runner for the chief ministerial post, though no one preferred to come on record.

”We will accept the decision of the party high command. Whatever would be the decision, it would be unanimous,” said Parsekar, who arrived in the Chief Minister's official car for the meeting.        

Parrikar, a IIT-Mumbai graduate who has a clean image, had said that BJP President Amit Shah had asked him to take up an assignment at the Centre.