PANJIM: Asserting that the Congress no longer exists in Sattari, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Friday announced that both the Assembly seats – Valpoi and Poriem – will be represented by him under the BJP in the future, as his father and Congress leader Pratapsing Rane will not contest the next elections.
Senior Rane who is currently Congress MLA from Poriem has been the longest serving Chief Minister of the State as well as MLA. He will complete 50 years as MLA during this term. On the other hand Junior Rane, the BJP candidate in the by-election, has been representing Valpoi since 2007, first as an Independent and then as a Congress MLA.
“My father is not going to contest the elections again. This time too, he was not interested in contesting but I forced him to contest. This is his 50th year,” Rane told media persons.
Asked whether after senior Rane’s retirement the family will continue to dominate Sattari politics, the health minister said, “There is no more Congress in Sattari; in future, both are going to be my seats.”
Vishwajit’s statement is being seen as a hint that his wife Divaya may be introduced to the State politics from Poriem in the 2022 election.
Vishwajit said that though his father belongs to the Congress, he is not campaigning against him. “He is my father. His well wishes are with me and not with the party. It is a family affair,” he said.
Congress has fielded Roy Naik, son of former chief minister Ravi Naik, against Vishwajit in Valpoi.
Ridiculing the Congress, the health minister claimed the party, which has won from Sattari for decades, no longer exists there. “Sattari is completely saffronised now. The support for BJP is increasing,” he said adding that all his supporters who were earlier in Congress are now with BJP.
“Valpoi voters were never Congress voters, they were my voters. With me joining BJP, my vote bank also shifted to BJP. Now there is only BJP that is ruling Sattari,” he said, adding that under Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar the focus would be on creating employment opportunities and development.
He said that there is no Congress left in Sattari, as the Valpoi block President itself is an imported leader from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). “Congress is in a very bad shape. They are just dreaming of coming to power. The fact is that the leaders themselves are on verge of leaving the party. There is complete divide and we will witness it soon,” he said.
Vishwajit, former Congress MLA, resigned as MLA and as member of Congress party on March 16 to join BJP.
He said that it is sad that Congress has to get workers from Ponda and Dharbandora to campaign in Valpoi and from Margao to campaign in Panjim.
