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With the inclusion of rebel Shiv Sena leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane in the central cabinet the BJP is gearing up to lock horns with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Shiv Sena in the State politics and Mumbai civic body polls scheduled next year.
Rane, once considered a staunch supporter of Balasaheb Thackery, was expelled from the party after he crossed swords with Uddhav Thackeray over the leadership. Rane, is known bete noire of Uddhav Thackeray. He joined Congress in 2005 hoping that the party would make him Chief Minister. Disillusioned with Congress Rane quit the party in 2017 and then launched his own party. In 2019, he merged his party with the BJP.
Political analysts in the State say that inclusion of Rane in Cabinet indicate that now there is no possibility of BJP and Shiv Sena coming together in Maharashtra. CM Uddhav Thackeray and PM Narendra Modi had close door discussions recently in Delhi and Thackeray might have told him that Sena want to continue alliance with the Congress and the NCP, say BJP insiders.
Early this week speaking to reporters, Thackeray categorically denied any possibility of Shiv Sena joining hands with the BJP breaking the alliance with the Congress and the NCP.
BJP’s forefront
“Former CM Devendra Fadnavis recommended Rane’s inclusion in the Cabinet. In fact, three of four ministers from Maharashtra including Rane inducted in the Cabinet are turncoats. Rane will be the BJP’s forefront in attack on Shiv Sena. Especially, Rane’s hold in Mumbai will help the BJP challenge Sena in Mumbai municipal elections” said one of the BJP insiders.
Rane while taking the charge as Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) on Thursday fired a salvo at Thackeray saying that the Maharashtra Chief Minister is not big-hearted to congratulate him.
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