Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Tuesday surprised his office on the New Year Day by paying a visit to the secretariat in Panjim for the first time in the last four months. He was welcomed by ministers, party MLAs and several BJP workers.

Parrikar, 63, is suffering from a pancreatic ailment and had been away from the office for a long time. He had undergone treatment at private hospitals in Mumbai and the USA since February 2018, besides the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi where he was taken in October.

Parrikar had last attended the office in August 2018, before he was shifted to Mumbai for treatment.

Hundreds of BJP workers had gathered outside the complex and cheered when the chief minister arrived at the secretariat around 10:45 am on Tuesday. Dressed in his trademark half-sleeve shirt, Parrikar, wearing a nasogastrict tube that runs from the nasal passage into the stomach, was accompanied by with a team of medical professionals and staff.

READ | Ailing Goa CM Manohar Parrikar inspects bridge

He got down from his car at the main gate, smiled at people, and walked inside, a PTI report said quoting sources.

IANS reported that the CM was helped up the Secretariat stairs by his aides.

He was formally welcomed by BJP MLAs, including Legislative Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant, ministers Mauvin Godinho, Milind Naik, Nilesh Cabral and former MLA Kiran Kandolkar.

Quoting BJP’s Goa general secretary Sadanand Shet Tanavde, the IANS report said the visit would boost the enthusiasm of party cadre as well as the people of Goa. “This is a good development. Seeing our Chief Minister will boost our cadre,” he said.

According to reports, Parrikar met staff of his office, and held a meeting with the personnel department to review existing vacancies and other issues like promotions and transfers that needed urgent attention.

Since his discharge from AIIMS, the 63-year-old has been recuperating at his private residence in Dona Paula near Panaji.

In the first public appearance since his return from AIIMS, the CM had in December inspected the work on new bridges over Mandovi and Zuari rivers near Panaji. He also met Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu last week and discussed the Centre’s plan to make Goa an investment destination.

Over the last few months, the Opposition has been demanding Parrikar’s resignation, saying the administration had come to a standstill due to his prolonged absence from office.