The biggest news in Maharashtra’s political sphere currently is former state chief minister Narayan Rane’s imminent exit from the Congress Party and his probable entry into the BJP. Though this move by Narayan Rane is anticipated for some time now, still, it will create ripples when it actually happens. Originally, known as a firebrand Shiv Sena leader, Rane joined the Congress in 2005 after spending decades in the Sena and now after spending 12 years in the Congress Party, Rane is set to quit the party.
Rane may have lost recent elections in Konkan and may be currently seen as a somebody who is on the defensive but his vast cadre base in Konkan and Mumbai can get rejuvenated in a matter of months if not weeks if he gets the backing of the ruling party in Maharashtra and this could revive Rane’s fortunes.
Many would wonder why a party like BJP which is well settled in the saddle in Maharashtra would now want a leader like Rane to join them. Rane’s background is known to all i.e. The cases he faces, the allegations against him, his aggressive nature, all the trouble associated with his aggressive activists. All this is very well-known to the public and media covering Rane for many years but still, it seems that BJP has decided to get into a deal with Narayan Rane.
The BJP wants Narayan Rane to counter the Shiv Sena. They expect him to do this especially on his home turf of Konkan and Mumbai city and suburbs. BJP has realised that it cannot rule Mumbai’s Municipal Corporation unless it cuts the Sena down. The party’s strategy is to use Rane to do this.
Rane was originally a firebrand Shiv Sena leader and was very active in Mumbai in the 1980s and 90s. Rane grew in the ranks in Sena and known Sena’s tactics very well. Rane became Chief Minister of the state for six months during Shiv Sena BJP’s rule in 1999. However, later he fell apart with Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray and crossed over to the Congress party.
BJP’s second most powerful leader in Maharashtra, Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil said a few days ago that the party would be happy if Narayan Rane wants to join it. Rane, a controversial personality known for his brash style of functioning and high-handed behaviour, lost recent elections on his home turf.
But BJP also faces some risks as they decide to take Rane along. Rane and his sons face several criminal cases in their home district. Shiv Sena’s Deepak Kesarkar defeated Rane in the assembly polls of 2014 giving an indication that Rane may be losing control of his home district, the Congress Party offered Rane a seat in the state legislative council later and tried to save Rane from becoming politically irrelevant.
Whether the masses in Konkan accept Rane as their leader or will go with the Shiv Sena is a million dollar question but it’s obvious taking Rane along is the only strategy BJP can adopt to gain some ground in Konkan where they lack a sizeable presence.
