Narayan Rane quits Congress
Sep 21, 2017,
NEW DELHI: In a big setback to the Congress, Maharashtra’s former chief minister Narayan Rane on Thursday announced his decision to quit the party.
Rane had accused the Congress of reneging on the promise of making him the CM and ranted against the party over “injustice” done to him and his supporters.
“I went to Congress because I was assured that I will be made chief minister in six months,” Rane, who joined the Congress in 2005 after being expelled from the Shiv Sena, said.
Rane, who has pockets of influence in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, was expelled by Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray after he voiced displeasure over Uddhav Thackeray gaining prominence in the party.
Rane, a tough talking Maratha leader, who was handpicked by Bal Thackeray as chief minister when he decided to remove the genial Manohar Joshi ahead of the 2005 Assembly elections, has also claimed that he had received an offer from the Shiv Sena to return to its fold.
He, however, did not say if he was offered any post.
There is speculation about his joining the BJP. There were reports that he had met BJP president Amit Shah in Ahmedabad a few months ago. During the recent Ganesh festival, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had visited Rane’s residence, fuelling it further.(Agencies)
