PANAJI: Mr Vishwajit Rane, the Health and Agriculture Minister in the state cabinet, has said that the future and growth lay for him in the Congress party and that he would stay in the Congress  and perhaps retire from public life after serving the party and help it in all possible means.

Mr Vishwajit Rane rejoined the Congress on Thursday afternoon after giving up his membership in the state legislative assembly. He had quit the Congress on the eve of last assembly elections in 2007 after being denied ticket by the party.
He also resigned as the cabinet minister earlier in the day but was re-inducted in the cabinet in the afternoon and administered oath of office and secrecy by the Governor, Dr Shivinder Singh Sidhu at a simple ceremony in the presence of the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, the Speaker, Mr Pratapsing Rane, cabinet ministers, MLAs, senior government officials and a number of his supporters.
Addressing reporters after being sworn in as a minister, Mr Vishwajit Rane, who would continue to be in-charge of the portfolios he held earlier, said that he has fulfilled his commitment of rejoining the Congress made to the Congress president, Ms Sonia Gandhi in December last. He denied   that he would ever defy the decisions of the Congress high command in future.
He said that he had to quit the Congress because people of Valpoi wanted him to contest elections and be their representative in the state assembly. He said that he has a long association with the Congress along with his father and that he has requested that he be given additional responsibility of building the party organisation, especially at the grassroots level.
Stating that despite being out of party after his election as an Independent MLA, he worked for the party and helped it grow. He further said that with his rejoining the Congress, the party would benefit and that he would work for the growth of the party in future.
Earlier, he was welcomed in the Congress fold by the Goa pradesh Congress committee, Mr Subhash Shirodkar saying that with the re-entry of Mr Rane the Congress would become stronger. He also said the popularity of the party was on the rise and more people wanted to join it. He, however, said that none of the opposition MLAs has shown interest in joining the party, as of now.
Welcoming him in the Congress, the Chief Minister said that Mr Vishwajit Rane had expressed his wish to rejoin the party and had fulfilled it. He said  the resignation submitted by Mr Vishwajit Rane, as cabinet minister, was accepted by him but went on to add that he would be re-inducted as minister and that he would continue to be in charge of the departments held by him earlier.
Mr Vishwajit Rane, on the other hand, said that his entry into the Congress was unconditional and that he was happy to be back in the Congress. He went on to add that his entry would be beneficial to the Congress as it would strengthen the party and provide much needed stability to the government.
He also said that people of Sattari, including that of Valpoi constituency from which he was expected to re-contest the by-elections, have been with the Congress and expressed confidence that they would re-elect him as their representative with a thumping majority.
Around 2,500 supporters of Mr Vishwajit Rane from Valpoi turned up in the city to witness their leader rejoin the Congress.