M A I N   N E W S

Rane meets Sonia, likely to join Congress
Anita Katyal

Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Narayan Rane comes out of 10 Janpath after meeting Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Friday. — A Tribune photograph

New Delhi, July 22
Expelled Shiv Sena leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane today hinted at joining the Congress.

Talking to presspersons after a meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Mr Rane announced: “You can draw your own inference about my future course of action after my meeting with Mrs Gandhi.”

Mr Rane, who has been wooed vigorously by both the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, said he would announce his formal decision on Monday after discussions with his supporters. He said he would resign his assembly seat and would return to the legislature in a byelection.

He also indicated that the eleven Shiv Sena MLAs, who are supporting him, and several MPs could also follow suit. Denying that he had been offered a ministerial berth at the Centre, Mr. Rane said he has no plans to shift to Delhi in the near future and would be working in his home state.

Congress sources, however, hinted that Mr Rane had been assured that he would be suitably accommodated in the organisation. He could also be given the revenue portfolio in the Maharashtra Government, Congress insiders stated.

The Congress was particularly keen to snare Mr Rane as it believes his strong presence in the Konkan region would help it to improve its ratings in an area where it is on a weak wicket. The Congress was also worried that if it lost Mr Rane to the NCP, the laters numbers in the assembly could swell further, especially if his supporters also joined him at a later stage. Consequently, state Congress leaders had several rounds of discussions with the former Shiv Sena leader, who also made three trips to Delhi in the past fortnight to meet the AICC top brass.