Narayan Rane does a U-turn, joins yatra for farm loan waiver

MUMBAI: In a U-turn, former chief minister Narayan Rane on Wednesday joined Congress’s Sangharsha Yatra to demand a complete loan

waiver

for farmers.

A week ago, Rane had strongly criticised the

Sangharsh Yatra

, saying it was an exercise in futility. Rane had criticised former chief minister and state Congress chief Ashok Chavan too.

Now, Rane launched an attack against the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena and called their policies anti-farmer. He lauded the Congress, particularly former PM Manmohan Singh for his decision to waive farm loans during his tenure.

Rane’s participation in the Konkan leg of the yatra, which started from Ratnaigiri district, assumes importance since it was believed that he was on his way to the BJP. There were reports saying Rane had met BJP president Amit Shah in the presence of CM Devendra Fadnavis. Rane always denied the reports as rumours.

Besides Rane, the Sangharsha Yatra was addressed by former CMs Prithviraj Chavan and Ashok Chavan, leaders of opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Dhananjay Munde, and former deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

Vikhe Patil said the Congress agitation against the BJP government would continue till the loans were waived. “If the UP government can waive the loans, why Fadnavis is dithering from taking a decision? In the days to come, if

loan

is not waived, we will intensify our agitation,” he said.

Vikhe Patil said criminal proceedings should be initiated against a Shiv Sena politician who impersonated a party legislator. “I am told a Mumbai Shiv Sena activist was introduced as a legislator from Osmanabad. Criminal proceedings should be launched against the Shiv Sena leader for impersonation,” he said.