In a first, veteran Congress lawmaker and former Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane was on Thursday conferred with “life-long cabinet status” by the BJP-led coalition government in Goa.
“Our government has decided to grant lifelong Cabinet status to the senior-most legislator, Shri Pratapsingh Rane ji, for his great service to the State of Goa. He has held the topmost positions in the state as the Chief Minister and Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly,” Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said in a tweet.
“He will always be an inspiration to the people of Goa across strata. I look forward to his continued guidance as we work towards the welfare of the people and the development of the State. I congratulate him and wish him all the very best in all his future endeavours,” the Chief Minister further said.
The announcement comes ahead of the upcoming state assembly polls. Interestingly, Rane’s son, Vishwajit, is a Health Minister serving in Sawant’s cabinet.
Pratapsingh Rane was synonymous with Goa politics through the 1980s and was the face of the Congress party during the period. He has served an undefeated spell as a legislator from the Poriem assembly constituency for more than 50 years. He was initially a legislator with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, before switching over to the Congress in the 1970s.
Soon after the announcement, Rane thanked the CM.
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