Virtually paving the way for Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to contest from Goa’s Valpoi constituency vacated after the resignation of the Congress MLA, Vishwajit Rane is all set to be inducted into the BJP tomorrow.
Parrikar needs to become a member of the Legislative Assembly within six months of assuming the chief minister’s office. He is currently a member of the Rajya Sabha. The former Valpoi legislator had resigned from the Congress as well as an MLA on March 16, the day Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar won a crucial trust vote on the floor of state Assembly.
Rane is the son of Congress veteran and former Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane.
India TV had earlier reported that it was highly unlikely of the BJP to ask any of its 13 MLAs in the 40-member Goa Assembly to vacate the seat for Parrikar. It was but inevitable that Parrikar would now contest from Valpoi, which was won by Congress’ Vishwajit Rane in recently held elections.
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"Vishwajit Rane would be joining BJP tomorrow. He has not put any condition to join the party," BJP's state unit chief Vinay Tendulkar told PTI.
Asked if Rane would be inducted into the state Cabinet, Tendulkar said, "It would be the decision of the Chief Minister."
The BJP Goa legislature wing had recently unanimously resolved to admit Rane into the party and also induct him in the Cabinet.
When contacted, Rane said he will be joining the BJP tomorrow.
"My entry in BJP is unconditional. I want to work for the growth of the party and also for the development of my constituency," he said.
Rane had quit the Congress last month after being upset that the party failed to form the government in Goa despite it winning 17 seats in the 40-member Assembly.
During the trust vote held in the House, Parrikar had proved his majority with 12 legislators from BJP, three from Goa Forward Party , three from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, three Independents and one from NCP voting in favour of the trust motion.
The opposition benches included 16 MLAs from Congress, as Vishwajit Rane had remained absent during the voting.
Days after losing the trust vote, the Goa Congress had said it would seek disqualification of Rane from contesting elections for defying its whip to vote against the motion.
