Panaji, May 12 (IANS): Goa Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo on Thursday accused state Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane of "personally targetting" him over alleged tree cutting and land filling for a land development project in North Goa.

Days after a first information report was filed at the Mapusa police station by officials of the Town and Country Planning department against Lobo for illegally developing a tract of land, Lobo has said that he was developing the area for farming purposes.

"He is personally targetting me, which is not right in politics. I am a businessman before I could become an MLA. Now he has already filed a case, where I have shown that the land is being used for farm purposes," Lobo told reporters.

The FIR was filed against Lobo and his wife Delilah, also a Congress MLA, last week.

"It is nothing but vindictive politics. I have explained to the CM. He is quiet about it. Opposition MLAs are being targetted," Lobo also said.

Incidentally, Lobo was a BJP MLA and a Minister for Ports in the last BJP-led coalition government. But he quit the party ahead of the 2022 state Assembly polls, before joining the Congress on election eve.