Rane rejects Sena's talk of 'big movement' in Goa politics

Goa BJP minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday trashed Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's prediction of a "big movement" in the coastal state's politics akin to the realignment of parties in neighbouring Maharashtra.

Calling the Sena a "third class party", Rane said all 27 MLAs of the BJP were happy with the leadership of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and there was no chance of political instability in Goa.

Incidentally, the Sena does not have a single MLA in the 40-member Goa House.

"Shiv Sena is talking about forming a (non BJP) front in Goa. No one wants to commit political suicide by joining a third class party like the Shiv Sena," he said.

He said the BJP-led government in Goa faces hurdles like the mining ban, imposed last year following a Supreme Court order, but these would be overcome.

Rajya Sabha MP Raut, after meeting and speaking to some non-BJP Goa MLAs, on Friday had said "you will soon see big movement in Goa where a (BJP) government is founded on immoral grounds".

Speaking on the Mahadayi river water dispute with neighbouring Karnataka, Rane castigated the opposition Congress in the state claiming "those who have never seen the Mahadayi river are talking on it".