By Prof Marcellus D’Souza

Mar 27: Depending upon the portfolio assigned to Vishwajit Rane, at the swearing in ceremony of the Pramod Sawant government tomorrow, the next move of Vishwajit Rane will be made known.
Vishwajit Rane is a man who keeps everything under wraps. He did propose the name of Pramod Sawant at the BJP’s Central Legislature Party (CLP), who was elected unanimously and may have been all smiles for the cameras when the CM-designate was presented with a bouquet of flowers but in all likelihood he will strike at an appropriate time, if not given a portfolio of his choice.
Vishwajit Rane has held the health portfolio for the longest duration and has survived three governments. He has been health minister since 2007 in the Digambar Kamat government until March 2012, in the Manohar Parrikar government in April 18, 2017 until 2019 and in the Pramod Sawant government from March 19, 2019 till date.
But Vishwajit has always hankered for the top post. His wife Deviya Vishwajit Rane, who won the Poriem Assembly constituency seat, said “He is ready to take over as chief minister and has 15 years of political experience, but that the final decision would be taken by the party leadership”.

Vishwajit Rane had thrown his hat into the race and was summoned by Home Minister Amit Shah to Delhi for consultations. It was soon after Vishwajit Rane, who was pacified with possibly a plump position that the CLP meeting held.

There is little doubt that Vishwajit Rane has had a running feud with the incumbent chief minister. This ‘war’ climaxed during Covid 19 when the Goa Medical College ran out of oxygen supplies and 26 patients died within two days while another 15 more patients died within a span of 4 hours. Although, the High Court of Bombay pulled up the government on the deaths of so many patients suddenly, the second incident did take place.
He has been seen as being a successful minister and has won accolades when as Health Minister in the third Manohar Parrikar Ministry, Rane took the decision of charging nominal fees in the Goa Medical College, Hospicio Hospital and the Asilo Hospital for the patients who are not residents of the state of Goa.
Vishwajit Rane used to belong to the Congress party. He followed in the footsteps of his illustrious father, Pratap Singh Rane, 6 time CM. Being of the same pedigree, Vishwajit Rane has assumed that the chief ministership was naturally his. He won the Poriem assembly constituency seat. Earlier, he represented the Valpoi Constituency.
In 2017, Vishwajit Rane joined the BJP when the Congress Party could not form the government despite securing 17 seats in the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly. Vishwajit Rane blamed the party leadership complaining about “the indecisiveness of party leaders like Digvijaya Singh, who was the Goa desk in-charge of the party”. When then chief minister Manohar Parrikar proved his majority on the floor of the house on March 16, 2017, Vishwajit Rane remained absent during the voting in protest of the decision taken by the Congress party not to stake its claim.

The embarrassing situation threw up many possibilities but the Congress allowed the opportunity to slip from beneath its feet. Vishwajit Rane could have been appointed as chief minister at this crucial juncture. He has not given up the dream. It is for this reason this time around, he saw himself as a possible contender.

However, in the political world pool things did not pan out as planned. Pramod Sawant was the choice of the central leadership who did not want to overturn the apple cart. It choose to maintain the status quo for the next 5 years or until 2027, as Pramod Sawant will have to win the 2024 general election for the BJP in Goa.

This leaves Viswajit Rane with little choice. Remain a disciplined karyakartha or break away from the BJP. The possibility of aligning with the group of MLAs, led by Ravi Naik and Panjim MLA Atanasio 'Babush' Monserrate, who have publicly opposed the induction of two MLA from the MGP party who gave Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai letters of support, is a feasible choice. Could be Vishwajit Rane is already preparing the pitch, by being the brain, behind the newly elected MLAs possible ‘revolt’ is any bodies guess.