Pratapsingh Rane
Gomantak Times
After keeping the Congress guessing for more than a month, Senior Congress Leader and 11-time MLA Pratapsingh Rane has threw in the towel and pulled out of the electoral battle in Poriem.
The veteran leader in a TV interview to NDTV said he will not contest the upcoming electing, citing his age. He said he is stepping down not due to family pressure, but old age.
The former Chief Minister was named by the Congress as its candidate from Poriem in December. Last week, the BJP declared that his daughter-in-law Deviya Rane would contest from the seat.
Meanwhile, Congress nominated Ranjit Rane in Poriem constituency in place of Pratapsingh Rane on Thursday night.
Poriem is the stronghold of Senior Rane, an 11-time MLA who has never lost an election in this constituency. He is also the longest serving chief minister of Goa. His son Vishwajeet Rane, who was also in the Congress, had crossed over to the BJP after the 2017 national elections.
Earlier, Congress had named the Pratapsingh Rane as its candidate from Poriem that triggered an angry reaction from the Vishwajith Rane.
The junior Rane, health minister in the BJP government, has asked his father 'to retire gracefully' and else he will contest from Poriem to defeat him.
