Team Herald

PANJIM: Hours after Congress MLAs Dayanand Sopte and Subash Shirodkar left for Delhi along with Health Minister Vishwajit Rane to meet BJP National president Amit Shah, the Congress alleged the Valpoi MLA wanted to split the BJP.

All India Congress Committee Secretary A Chellakumar disclosed that Rane, a former Congressman who dumped the party post the 2017 Assembly elections, wanted to re-join Congress after the Lok Sabha polls.

Chellakumar’s stunning revelation comes close on the heels of hectic political activity in the State wherein BJP and Congress are trying to get an upper hand in the Assembly. Chellakumar claimed that even till two months ago, Rane had been in touch with him and was worried for his own life and that of his family.

Chellakumar said, “Many of people from the ruling side were in touch with me. Vishwajit Rane used to call me often and he is under fear psychosis. He spoke to me two months ago also,” Chellakumar said.

“If there is any doubt, anybody can check his cell phone number and see how many times he used to call me. Every time he used to tell me that BJP is not like Congress,” the Congress observer claimed.

“He used to say ‘I have two daughters, I have to look after them’. The moment parliament election is over I will teach these people a lesson and come back to Congress. Till then you please wait,” he said.

Chellakumar said that Rane used to say he is a Congressman and will always be a Congressman. “But I will split the BJP and come and then expose Amit Shah and Narendra Modi,” he said quoting Rane. “It is the same statement that Vishwajit was telling for a year,” he added.