The father-son duo of Goa politics, former Chief Minister and Poriem Congress MLA Pratapsingh Rane and Health Minister and Valpoi BJP MLA Vishwajit Rane are engaged in a verbal spat and is all set to fight upcoming assembly elections against each other in Poriem.
Hours after senior Congress leader Pratapsingh Rane declared that he will contest in Poriem constituency on Congress ticket for the upcoming election, Vishwajit Rane also declared that he will fight from Poriem on BJP ticket.
Speaking to media persons, Vishwajit Rane said: "I want my father to retire gracefully after being Chief Minister for so many years and being my idol, I don't want him to retire on this battlefield."
Vishwajit said that senior Rane is pressurised by Congress to contest from Poriem. "My father is old and has disconnected to current politics, youth and I think there must be pressure from the party. I requested my father to step down from it. One should see who is capable of taking responsibility and serve for the people," the Health Minister said.
He suggested that youth want a change and his father should not contest. "I have already decided with higher authorities and if I have to contest against my father, I will," he added.
He further stated that no matter who is the competition, he assured that people will definitely give him votes and will win.
When asked about the father vs son fight in Poriem, Vishwajit said that there is no father and son fight, instead of it's about a "competent versus competent fight". "Whoever is competent will win and there is no issue of father and son, but it's Congress vs BJP," he said.
Pratap Singh Rane is former Leader Of Opposition and Poriem MLA in the Goa state assembly. He has served as the Chief Minister of Goa six times.
Before leaving the Congress, Vishwajit Rane was a member of the party and won the Valpoi constituency in the 2017 elections on a Congress ticket. Later, under Manohar Parrikar's government, he joined the Bhartiya Janata Party and wanted his father to join as well, but Pratap Singh announced that he would not campaign against his son.