Though the date for bypoll in Valpoi in Goa is yet to be announced, the Congress has started preparations for the election in a bid to retain its hold over the assembly constituency.
Vishwajit Rane was elected from Valpoi in North Goa on a Congress ticket in the February 4 assembly polls, but later quit the seat and joined BJP.
The Election Commission (EC) is yet to announce the date for the bypoll necessitated by the resignation of Rane.
The former legislator will contest from the segment on a BJP ticket.
"Valpoi for long has been a Congress stronghold. We have a mass base here. The party is confident of defeating Rane during the by-election," AICC Secretary Girish Chodankar told PTI.
The party has started preparations for the poll battle and is holding a series of meetings in the constituency to fine-tune its strategy to retain the seat, he said.
Chodankar said AAP member Ashish Kanekar, who was one of the candidates in the field against Rane in the assembly polls, recently joined the Congress.
"The Congress has a sizeable voter base in Valpoi and the party is confident of winning as and when the bypoll is held," he said.
The main opposition party is yet to announce its candidate from Valpoi.
The son of Congress veteran and former chief minister Pratapsinh Rane quit apparently to express displeasure over the party failing to form the government in Goa despite winning more seats than the BJP.
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