BJP non-committal on inducting Narayan Rane

Narayan Rane. (Express Photo)

Almost 24 hours after resigning from the Congress, Narayan Rane appears to be grappling with his political roadmap, with the top leadership of the ruling BJP appearing non-committal on his induction into the party and speculation that Rane might float his own outfit.

Senior BJP minister Chandrakant Patil said, “The core committee of the party has not discussed anything on Rane. It is not on our agenda.” Another BJP leader, who did not wish to be named, said, “Almost every day, we get feelers from various leaders across parties seeking to join BJP. But we can neither oblige all, nor take any decision in a hurry.”

The top brass said the final decision would be taken by central leaders after adequate consultation with the state leadership. “Rane has just resigned from the party. His younger son Nitesh, an MLA, is still with the Congress. So, we have to wait and watch. Moreover, we also have to ascertain where he stands,” said a leader.

The Congress’s scathing attack on Rane, digging up his past, has created some discomfort in the BJP. The ruling party is also weighing public perception following the anti-Rane campaign by the Congress and the Shiv Sena. There are indications that Rane would launch his own political outfit on Dussehra.