the goan I network
MARGAO
After being left red-faced over senior MLA Pratapsing Rane’s statement in support of Union Ayush Minister Shripad Naik, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief Girish Chodankar played down the embarrassment saying Rane’s statement is intended to help the Congress in the ensuing Lok Sabha poll.
“Rane is a senior, tall and matured leader. When he makes any comments, he does so after ascertaining the pulse of the people. Rane knows for sure that Shripad is a weak candidate after having failed to deliver despite being an MP for around two decades,” Girish told the media on Saturday, saying that Rane’s statement will benefit the Congress to retain the North Goa seat.
The GPCC chief said that Rane is aware that Shripad is the weakest candidates amongst the lot and he has only encouraged the BJP to allot the ticket to the Union Minister by making the statement. “The first time voter will realise that Shripad has been a failure as an MP and as a Minister for having failed to deliver the goods and resolve the grievances,” he said, adding that Rane has made the statement in such a way so that the BJP nominates Shripad for the North Goa seat to the advantage of the Congress.
GPCC chief says approaching every
‘disgruntled’ BJP leader
PANAJI: With former BJP Minister Mahadev Naik set to join the Congress on Sunday, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee chief Girish Chodankar on Saturday said that the party was “approaching every BJP leader who’s against the BJP.”
Meanwhile, after being seen catching up with NCP chief Jose Philip D’Souza during the protest against coal handling in Vasco, Chodankar told ‘The Goan’ that while D’Souza was a friend and that they “were together”, the Congress had not asked him to join the party. He said however, that the NCP and the Congress were “fighting a common cause.”
Meanwhile, when asked about Congress MLA and former chief minister Pratapsing Rane rooting for Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik in Valpoi, Congress spokesperson Adv Yatish Naik chose to bypass the question, saying instead that Rane was a tall leader of the party, who would stay with the party.
‘The Goan’ had reported on Friday that, in a major embarrassment to the Congress party, former chief minister and senior Congress MLA from Poriem Pratapsing Rane campaigned strongly for Naik and even appealed to people to support the Union minister in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“A candidate like Shripad Naik, who is the Union AYUSH minister, should be elected once again for the betterment of society. He has contributed a lot for the development of the common man by implementing many projects from the MP funds. People should keep their differences aside and should support Shripad Naik in upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” Rane had said at an MPLAD function.
