Congress Member and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane quits congress and launches a new party called “Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksh” today and it might support BJP.
Rane said that it is just a launch of Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksh and waiting for people to join, to decide the future action.
Rane has served the state of Maharashtra as chief minister in 1999 when he was with Shiv Sena.
Rane said PTI, “I am in process of making new friends for my party, I have no issues with the BJP as I have many friends in the party”.
When he was asked if he aspires to become the chief minister, Rane said, “I still have an ambition to become the chief minister of Maharashtra. It never dies but I will wait for the right time to come.”
He added, “Me and my Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksh party will never oppose any development work”.
The BJPs saffron ally Shiv Sena has been critical of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. The criticism has become increasingly strident following the stampede on the narrow foot overbridge linking Parel and Elphinstone Road stations that claimed 23 lives recently.
Rumour about Rane was he might join BJP as he met party president Amit Shah in Ahmedabad a few months ago and later in New Delhi.However, a section in the BJP was learnt to be not in favor of Rane’s induction into the party.
Shiv Sena has been bitterly critical of Rane, who had objected to Uddhav Thackerays elevation in the party due to that Shiv Senas threat to review its continuance with BJP, hints BJP to avoid Rane.
In 2005, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray had expelled Rane from the party later he joined the Congress and became a revenue minister in Congress-NCP government.
Rane’s son Nitesh, an MLA known for his strongarm tactics, had launched Swabhimani Sanghatana around a decade back. His organisation was often locked in confrontation with the Shiv Sena. Today, senior Rane borrowed the name for his new party from his sons organisation.
Asked about the future of Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksh and Swabhimani Sanghatana Rane said, “Both the party would become one entity”.
Asked if he would contest the election for the seat that has fallen vacant following his resignation, Rane said he would take a call after the Election Commission announces the schedule.
Rane also criticised Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying “Everyone in Shiv Sena, except for Uddhav Thackeray, is my friend. He hardly understands any issue and keeps criticising BJP leaders and their decisions. It is due to his leadership that the party has been widely ridiculed.”
