Union Minister Narayan Rane.
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI
Former Union Minister and MP from Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Narayan Rane on July 26 stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party should contest all 288 seats in the upcoming Assembly election, scheduled later this year.
His statement created unrest among the BJP’s Mahayuti allies, with the spokesperson of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, MP Naresh Mhaske, saying: “Mr. Rane is a senior leader. He has expressed his opinion. This is neither the view of the BJP nor its party leaders J.P. Nadda or Home Minister Amit Shah or Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. If the BJP is going to contest all 288 seats, then why is there a grand alliance at all? Each party will get seats according to its strength. Mr. Shinde and Deputy CMs Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, along with the senior leaders, will take a final decision on seat-shearing.”
Earlier, Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat said the trio will attend the NITI Aayog meeting in the national capital on Saturday and will likely meet Mr. Shah or Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to discuss seat sharing.
Rumblings in the coalition began last month, with leaders of each of the allies publicly demanding a higher share for their own party. Sena leaders have been demanding 100 seats while Mr. Ajit Pawar’s NCP functionaries had sought 80-90. A week ago, BJP’s core committee leaders demanded 170-180 seats as the party is the “bigger partner” among the three Mahayuti constituents.
The BJP has the highest number of MLAs in the current Mahayuti alliance with 103 representatives, Mr. Ajit Pawar’s NCP has 40, and Mr. Shinde’s Sena 38. The other parties from Maharashtra, who are part of the bigger National Democratic Alliance (NDA) include Bahujan Vikas Aghadi with three MLAs, Prahar Janshakti Party and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha with two each, and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena with one.
Taking on Uddhav
Also on Friday, hitting back on former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for his remarks on the Union Budget 2024-25 that the State received a lower share of funds, Mr. Rane said, “The Union Budget clearly focuses on employment generation and investment opportunities. The Opposition only knows how to criticise. This Union budget will enable Foreign Direct Investment, give relief to the taxpayers, and make India a developed country.”
Distancing himself from Maratha quota reservation activist Manor Jarange Patil, Mr. Rane said, “No doubt there is someone behind him. Marathas do not want reservations by disturbing anyone’s quote. It is Jarange-Patil’s individual stand and not that of the entire Maratha Community.”
He also commented on Mr. Thackeray’s criticism of the recently announced schemes by the State government, such as Ladli Behna Yojana and Ladla Bhai Yojana. “Maharashtra government does not have funds to repair potholes. How will they fund such schemes?” Mr. Thackeray had asked. Mr. Rane responded that the “ruling government has funds to fix potholes as well as to finance schemes for sisters and brothers of the State”.
