Remains tight-lipped about his next move, saying he's received offers from several parties, including BJP and Sena, and will decide after his state tour
Both Narayan Rane and elder son Nilesh have quit the Congress
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Narayan Rane has ended his 12-year long association with the Congress, quitting the party in the same manner he left the one before it. When he quit the Shiv Sena, he'd held Uddhav Thackeray and his coterie responsible, and now, he's put the blame for his exit on Ashok Chavan and other senior party leaders.
Speculations are rife regarding Rane's new abode - will it be the BJP or will he float his own party? Rane chose not to answer this, and instead, said he would declare his next move nine days from Thursday.
Check, mate!
"Let me tour Maharashtra before making any further political announcement," he said, adding that his primary target would be the detractors within the Congress. "I will ensure that many more quit the Congress. I will also ensure that people leave the Sena. I promise today to empty these two parties."
With Rane, his elder son and ex-MP Nilesh too quit the Congress, but his younger son and sitting Congress legislator Nitesh and staunch supporter and MLA Kalidas Kolambkar stayed away from the senior's announcement. If the two resign from the Lower House, they would have to contest elections, and unless they have some concrete promises from the party they wish to join, they wouldn't risk their future.
Experts say the Ranes would hit the Congress further at an appropriate time by asking Nitesh and Kolambkar to resign, because their exit would mean loss of the Opposition leader position. In that case, the NCP would claim the post in the Assembly.
Very vocal against local leaders and seniors in New Delhi, such as Ahmed Patel and Mohan Prakash, Rane, however, spared the Congress high command - Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. In fact, he acknowledged that Rahul made him an MLC after losing the Bandra bypolls. "Congress hasn't expelled us, but we're leaving. I haven't criticised Soniaji or Rahul, and I have written a letter to them explaining why I had to quit," he said.
Advantage BJP?
Rane made his intentions clear, beginning with hitting out at Chavan, who is now fighting the BJP to regain control of Nanded Municipal Corporation. "I will take on Ashok Chavan first. I have offers from many parties, and will make a decision when the time comes," he said.
Rane had earlier said he had offers not only from the BJP but also from the Sena, a declaration that had startled the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. "Uddhav's personal secretary Milind Narvekar had asked father to join the Sena," Nitesh told the media on Wednesday. The Sena, however, denied that any such offer was made.
So, what's in store for Rane? Is he buying time to impress the BJP leadership further for sealing a better deal, or is the BJP leadership still not convinced about Rane's utility, if taken into party's fold?
Rane's reputation precedes him. The Sena and the Congress have already tasted his nasty ways and nuisance value. Would the BJP accept him as he is?
The liability
Political commentator Surendra Jondhale told mid-day that Rane's move had been inevitable because he had no future in the Congress, especially after suffering two massive defeats.
"Pressure tactics don't work in the Congress …Rane had no option but to quit and find a stable political party to secure a good future for him and his sons. The Congress is anyway in a bad shape," said the professor of political science at Mumbai University.
Jondhale added that he had a gut feeling that Rane would go to the BJP. But then, he wondered, what would the BJP get in return.
"The most important issue here is how effectively Rane, whose influence area is so small, would strengthen the BJP. "Like the Congress, Rane would be a liability for the BJP as well. I think his admission would add to the impression that the BJP is increasingly becoming more 'Congress'," he said.
The professor said the BJP, if it takes Rane in, should have a reason (to do so) in Maratha politics. "Is the party trying to create yet another Maratha leader to challenge the existing Maratha leadership in its rank?"
Rane is expected to begin his state tour from CM Devendra Fadnavis' hometown Nagpur from Friday or Saturday.
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