He had told a media person that he would contest elections “if the party has announced my candidature, the question of whether I am contesting or not does not arise.”
But he withdrew at the last minute, and the Congress made a desperate attempt to get in Vishwajit Krishnarao Rane, who had filed his nomination on Aam Admi Party (AAP) ticket; all efforts were in vain.
Finally, they had to announce the name of Ranjit Rane for Poriem.
Speaking to the media after withdrawal, Rane said, “I have spent 50 years in good, clean politics. I don’t need to fight an election to work for people. Being the head of the family, somebody needs to take a mature decision, and I have decided to do so.”
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
On Thursday, the longest-serving legislator of Goa, Pratapsing Raoji Rane, withdrew his name from the candidacy on the penultimate day of the filing of nomination, sending Congress into a tizzy.
What shocked Congress was that Rane himself was adamant about fighting elections against his daughter in law Deviya Rane, who has been fielded by Bharatiya Janata Party from Poriem.
He had told a media person that he would contest elections “if the party has announced my candidature, the question of whether I am contesting or not does not arise.”
But he withdrew at the last minute, and the Congress made a desperate attempt to get in Vishwajit Krishnarao Rane, who had filed his nomination on Aam Admi Party (AAP) ticket; all efforts were in vain.
Finally, they had to announce the name of Ranjit Rane for Poriem.
Speaking to the media after withdrawal, Rane said, “I have spent 50 years in good, clean politics. I don’t need to fight an election to work for people. Being the head of the family, somebody needs to take a mature decision, and I have decided to do so.”
Of Course, the Rane, after serving Goa for 50 years, has the right to decide whether he would contest or not, and he also has a right to nominate someone in his place, according to Congress leaders.
But what has undone his decades of loyalty is that he had kept the party hanging for days and months together.
If he had intended to not contest, he could have easily kept the party in the loop and not at the last minute.
Remember, Rane had expressed his desire to contest after his son Vishwajit Rane had publically announced his father would not compete.
Now it seems like he deliberately delayed conveying his decision to Congress because he did not want to give the party candidate enough time to campaign.
Agreed, Rane should have gracefully retired, given his age of 85, but he needed to give the party enough time to choose his replacement.
Moreover, what has raised eyebrows is that the decision comes only a few days after the Dr Pramod Sawant government’s decision to grant him cabinet status for his entire life.
So the question now arises is whether the Cabinet Rank was a ploy to ask Sr Rane to withdraw his candidature?
All said and done, but one cannot question this person’s loyalty who has served Goa for 50 years.
So what if he has served as the chairman of the Kala Academy in the Manohar Parrikar government, being the only member of the Opposition to enjoy such a position? During that time, his wife was also the chairperson of Bal Bhavan, and his son Vishwajit Rane was the chairman of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation.
So one has to conclude that let Rane be in the ruling or Opposition, he attracted enough respect from the Ruling or Opposition party.
