Pratapsingh Rane

Pratapsingh Rane Biography

Pratapsingh Rane is an Indian politician from Goa who is serving as the speaker of the Goa state assembly. He served as the Chief Minister of Goa 6 times, from 1980 to 1985, from 1985 to 1989, in 1990, from 1994 to 1999 from 3^rd February 2005 to 4^th March 2005 and from June 2005 to June 2007. He has been the member of the Indian National Congress from 1970s and was an important figure in the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. He served as the minister of law and some other portfolios in the beginning of 1972.

He was born on 28^th January 1939 in Goa. He hailed from the Maratha family of the Ranes. The Rane families were dominating politics during Portungese rule and revolved against them and made some peace treaties. He finished his BBA degree in United States. He is basically an agriculturist and is married. He dominated the Goa politics for the whole decade of the 1980s and 1990s. Launching Kadamba Transport Corporation to improve the transportation system of the state was one of his major achievements.

He belongs to Indian National Congress party. The dissidents tried to remove him from power in 1980s by appealing to New Delhi but this was not successful. His later tenures were criticized for increased corruption during his period. When Bharatiya Janata Party ruled Goa from late 1990 to early 2005, he served as the leader of the Opposition. He was criticized by the editor of the newspaper, Herald, Rajan Narayan for not doing well as the leader of opposition.

After a bitter battle he became the chief minister of Goa after the first ever win of Congress party in 1980. His rivals in the competition were Dr Wilfred de Souza and Anant Narcinva Naik. Pratapsingh Rane started his fifth term as Chief Minister of Goa in February 2005 after the 5 years rule of BJP government. However after a month, the state came under the president’s rule and then continued from 2005 to 2007. Due to infighting, he had to step aside and Digambar Kamat was made as the speaker of the state assembly. 

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Updated: August 24, 2011