BJP ‘friend’ Narayan Rane may get Maharashtra revenue ministry

MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane will float his own party on October 1, following BJP's cold response to his induction in the party. Rane confirmed the development to TOI.

"I have decided to set up my own political party. The agenda and the constitution of the new party will be declared on October 1," he said.

If a trusted aide of Rane is to be believed, even if he does float a party, he will support BJP, and may even join the government.

Rane may succeed in getting himself into the Maharashtra cabinet on account of his ability to take on Shiv Sena, particularly Uddhav Thackeray. One of the portfolios the BJP-led state government is considering giving him is the prestigious revenue ministry, according to a senior political leader who is in the know of developments.

"We expect Rane to float his own party on October 1. It will support the Narendra Modi-led NDA, and it has been proposed that he be inducted into the state cabinet before the end of the first week of October. There will be no cabinet reshuffle or expansion, only Rane is likely to be inducted," the senior leader said.

The politician said that in view of the Sena's strong opposition to Rane joining BJP and the state cabinet, it was proposed that he float his own party and then join NDA as a partner. Rane had made up his mind to quit Congress after his son Nilesh lost the 2014 LS polls and he himself lost the assembly polls from his hometown as well as the Bandra by-election.