Narayan Rane to join NDA, may get ministry

NEW DELHI: Former Congress leader Narayan Rane, who recently floated the Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksha ( MSP), announced Friday in Sindhudurg that his party will be joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

The BJP is expected to make him a minister in the forthcoming Maharashtra cabinet reshuffle. The former Congress leader had met Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday during which talks were held on what portfolio he was likely to get.

Rane told reporters that the BJP and Fadnavis will decide on his portfolio. He added that he would soon make party appointments.

These would be a mix of close supporters and former Congress party workers. Rane said he’s not opposed to the Shiv Sena but only its ideology and that he has yet to decide who his political enemy is.

The former Congress leader had resigned from the party last month alleging stepmotherly treatment and denying him the chief minister’s post in spite of numerous promises.