From our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (SP)

Panaji, Jan 26: Even as the Congress and the Nationalist Congress party (NCP) continue with their respective claimes on the North Goa parliamentary seat, the youth congress leaders have come out in support of the candidature of veteran Congress leader Pratapsingh Rane for this constituency.
 
Rane served Goa in the capacity of the chief minister for almost three decades and is currently the speaker of Goa legislative assembly. His son Vishwajit Rane is an independent legislator and health minister in the Digambar Kamat-led state cabinet.
 
The congress and the NCP along with smaller groups like Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and independents are partners in the coalition government ruling the state at present.
 
A huge convention was organized in North Goa's Sattari taluka on Saturday January 24 to celebrate the birthday of Goa legislative assembly speaker Pratapsingh Rane, that had representatives from the Congress, MGP and Vishwajit Rane-promoted Sattari Yuva Morcha. The NCP did not figure in the convention, which was held in preparation for the  ensuing Parliamentary polls.
 
A day after the convention, youth Congress leaders portrayed Pratapsingh Rane as their unanimous choice for the candidature of the  North Goa Parliamentary seat. "Rane should be given a ticket, as he is the person capable of developing the state. He is the one who can bring in developmental schemes to the state," Maheshwar Parab, Bicholim youth congress block president, said.
 
His views were echoed by youth congress senior leaders in Panaji who said that they will formally address a press conference to announce Rane as their preferential candidate for North Goa seat.
 
The youth Congress has already dashed off a  letter to the  Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, demanding that both the parliamentary seats in the state should be fought by the Congress party, as NCP does not have a strong  base here.
 
"Last time, we lost North Goa seat which was fought by the NCP. This time, we do not want to repeat this mistake. Congress has a strong base all over the state," Goa Pradesh Youth Congress Committee president Sankulp Amonkar said.
 
He refused to comment on the choice of Rane as a Loksabha candidate for North Goa. "We will make our stand clear in a  couple of days," he added.
 
Meanwhile, NCP has already listed six of its leaders  as the possible  contenders for the North Goa seat. The NCP Goa unit president Dr Wilfred De Souza has said that his party,  with the support of the coalition partner Congress, will fight the North Goa seat.