No discussion yet on Rane’s induction into BJP: Minister

PUNE: Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil on Friday said the core committee of the party “has not discussed” the possible inclusion of former chief minister Narayan Rane in the BJP.

Patil was speaking on the sidelines of an event on water conservation organized by the India arm of the Swedish major Atlas Copco. Earlier on Thursday, Rane quit the Congress party blaming the party for not making good on its promise to make him the state’s chief minister.

“We have a core committee of leaders in the state BJP, which includes the chief minister and other leaders and ministers. Till now, we have not had any discussion in the committee about Rane joining the party, or making an approach. I do not have any authority to approach him. The final decision in this regard will be taken by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and party president Amit Shah,” Patil said.

Patil was evasive when asked whether he had met Rane during one of his visits to Konkan region recently, saying that he “cannot comment on that”. Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray had expelled Rane from the party in 2005 after he questioned Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership. Rane later joined the Congress and during his time in the party, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Ashok Chavan, and Prithviraj Chavan served as CMs. However, Rane was not given the post. After Congress’s defeat in the state assembly elections, Rane wanted to become the state Congress chief, but the party leadership ignored his demand.