Panaji (Goa): A day after facing the petition filed by the Congress, restraining him from contesting in the upcoming by-election, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane today claimed that the party (Congress) would be wiped out under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi in 2019 polls.

“Nobody is interested in Congress party especially with failed leadership like that of Rahul Gandhi who is going to be white-washed in the year 2019. Why would anybody go to the Congress party,” Rane told reporters here today.

The Minister who was then Congress legislator resigned as MLA on March 16 to join BJP where he has been inducted in the state cabinet. Congress party this week has filed a petition before the Goa Bench of Bombay High Court seeking to restrain Vishwajit from contesting the upcoming by-poll.

Talking about the petition filed against him, Rane said he had not defected but resigned as Member of Legislative Assembly and is going for a fresh mandate to the people.

Rane said, the Congress which has been now left irrelevant after it failed to form the government, is trying to get into media headlines by speaking against him. “Congress party is trying to remain in the news to make itself relevant. The party is currently left irrelevant,” he said.

The Minister rubbished the rumors about instability of Parrikar-led government. “The government is stable and we all are working together for the welfare of the people. Parrikar is firm in saddle,” he said.

“Just because somebody is selling dreams that they are forming the government, it does not mean they are telling the truth,” Rane commented.

He said, the Congress has lost its relevance in politics and is trying to make statements to defend the party under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi who was not available to any of us (then Congress MLAs) to talk to, after Congress got 17 seats in Goa elections.

“His (Gandhi’s) number was not reachable and that is the state of affairs in Congress party for which he is responsible,” he said.

Team TNV