बंड Thand, again

    Few weeks back, Industries Minister of State, Narayan Rane called a rebellion against the state party leadership and offered his resignation from the Cabinet. It was then viewed as a game changer ahead of the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha Polls slated in October. However it turned out to be just another day in office of the veteran leader as he took back his resignation and has decided to start campaigning for the party.

    It was rumored that Rane had asked for the Poll Campaign Chief post if not the CM candidate as it may allow him to have a major say in selecting the candidates for the state assembly election. After meeting party VP Rahul Gandhi, he assured Rane that party will give him and his associates the due respect. Later MPCC president Manikrao Thakre & CWC member Mohan Prakash struck a truce and he finally decided to take back the rebellion. This was necessary for both the party as well as Rane, as they cannot afford to part ways after the recent debacle of in Lok Sabha polls.

    This is not the first time Narayan Rane had called upon a rebellion against his own party. He left Shiv Sena in 2005 and joined the Congress (I), where he was assured that he will be considered for post of CM within 6 months. However 9 years down the lane, the status quo hasn't changed and the race for CM is still On. In 2010, when Ashok Chavan was forced to resign after the Adarsh scam surfaced, Rane had made his bid for the post. But the party high command ignored the request then, and sent in Prithviraj Chauhan to take over the post.

    The Konkan belt, which was a stronghold of Shiv Sena earlier, became a Congress(I) ground after Narayan Rane's exit. But, after 9 years this bastion was breached when Rane's son and sitting MP Nilesh Rane lost the recent Lok Sabha elections to NDA candidate. Apart from the Modi Wave, the another huge reason for defeat was the cold war between Rane's and Deepak Kesarkar of NCP from Sawantwadi. The latter refused to campaign for Rane's son despite the orders from NCP Chief Sharad Pawar.

    Kesarkar along with majority of his associates joined the Shiv Sena yesterday, thus further strengthening the Saffron alliance. 8 out of the 18 seats which the Sena won the Lok Sabha election come from the Mumbai, Raigad, Sindhudurg belt which constitutes to 27% of assembly seats and which is also home to the majority mill kamgars who shifted their after the textile mill strike.

    With more legislators of the Congress (I) rumored to be in talks with the MahaYuti, Rane staying back comes as a huge relief for the party. However will this help the party to penetrate the Modi wave and bring the Democratic Front's 4th government or will they have sit in opposition just like in Centre, only time will tell.


SR.