Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) grassroot level workers from Valpoi and Poriem constituencies have strongly reacted to the statement made by Health Minister Vishwajit Rane and said the saffron party workers will work for a party and not for any individual person.

It might be recalled that Rane had recently said that he will be fielding his wife Divya Rane to contest from Poriem constituency in the next assembly election convincing senior Rane to retire from politics.

The statement of Rane is being criticised and has affected most of the grassroot level workers of the party in the whole of Sattari talukha. BJP had contested both Valpoi and Poriem seats in the last Assembly polls but had to face defeat.

 “We are party workers. We will not work for any individual person”, said Demu Gaonkar senior BJP worker from Valpoi who is also an Executive member of state BJP.

Satyavijay Naik, Secretary of BJP State unit, who had contested last polls on BJP seat from Valpoi said, “We are party members, we are behind the party. We will work for party symbol not for any individual. For us party is bigger”.

He said that he will not leave the party in future due to any reasons.

Prashant Desai, Poriem BJP mandal leader and who is also a treasurer of BJP Yuva Morcha, said the party will decide who will contest in Poriem in the future and not Vishwajit.

“If Vishwajit Pratapsingh Rane will hold both the seats, it will be decided by the Party, and not Vishwajit. Till now the party has not informed us what is the role of Vishwajit Pratapsingh Rane in Poriem constituency”, Desai said.

Whatever Vishwajit Pratapsingh Rane is speaking now with the media is related to Valpoi constituency and he has no role in Poriem constituency, he added.

Vishwajit Krisharao Rane, who had contested against Pratapsingh Rane in the last hustings, has said that the Poriem mandal along with him will discuss with  his party regarding Health Minister’s statements.

“Right now, I don't want to comment on Vishwajit Rane's statement on Poriem constituency. We will first discuss with the party and only after that I will react”, he said.