Narayan Rane adamant on resignation, matter referred to Sonia

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Congress is still grappling with the resignation of Narayan Rane, who stepped down from the Prithviraj Chavan government on Monday, and may leave it to party president Sonia Gandhi to resolve the matter.

There was no breakthrough after Rane met Chavan and state Congress president Manikrao Thakre at the chief minister’s residence for close to two and a half hours of talks on Tuesday morning. Sources said both Thakre and Chavan wanted Rane to take back his resignation.

Rane has openly said he wants to be chief minister, which the party has denied. He was apparently offered the post of campaign committee chief, which would have given him a major say in decisions and in selection of candidates for the assembly polls. However, Rane later told reporters that the party had not offered him any deal.

“Manikrao had called me and wanted to discuss the issues I had raised, so I came to meet the chief minister. However, nothing has come out of the discussions…They haven’t given me any offer,” said Rane, clearly showing his unhappiness.