Will ensure BJP regains South Goa Lok Sabha seat, says Narayan Rane

File Photo

Union Minister and BJP leader Narayan Rane on Saturday said he had been appointed by his party as the in-charge for Goa South Lok Sabha seat and South Mumbai in neighbouring Maharashtra.

He was addressing a press conference here along with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, BJP Goa president Sadanand Shet Tanavade, Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar, state general secretaries Narendra Sawaikar and Damodar Naik.

"I have been given responsibility of the BJP's campaign in South Goa and South Mumbai (Lok Sabha seats) for the 2024 general elections. We will ensure the BJP wins the South Goa seat. Of the 20 MLAs of South Goa, 12 are from the BJP," Rane said

The BJP's Narendra Sawaikar had failed to retain South Goa seat in the 2019 LS polls. It was won by the Congress' Fransisco Sardinha.

Also Read: BJP and Uddhav-led Sena target each other over photo with convict Yakub's kin

"We lost the 2019 polls by a margin of 10,000 votes. We will increase out voter base in South Goa by adopting a progressive, development-oriented approach. Work done by the Centre and the Goa government during the pandemic and other development works will be highlighted," Rane added.

Queried on his son and MLA Nitesh Rane calling senior BJP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as "Hinduhriday samrat", a term usually used for Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray, the Union minister said it was not the party's opinion.

"This is not the BJP's opinion. He (Nitesh Rane) is in the BJP and likes Devendra Fadnavis and so used the term," Rane said.

"We should praise him (Nitesh Rane) for uttering some good words," he added.

Nitesh Rane, MLA from Kankavli in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, reportedly used the term during a rally in Ahmednagar in the neighbouring state.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.