MUMBAI: With Narayan Rane poised to join the NDA, an NCP leader has mooted the idea of scuttling his plans by fielding a united candidate against him in the byelection.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar said on Wednesday that the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena should come together to field a single candidate against Rane in a byelection to ensure his defeat.
Pawar hastened to add that he was only putting forward a proposal. “It is not that we have discussed the idea. There is no constituency in Maharashtra where Rane or the BJP of both of them united are stronger than the combined might of the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena. Hence, it is possible to defeat Rane,” Pawar said.
Rane meet chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for 90 minutes on Tuesday night. He told the media later that he was invited by Fadnavis to join the NDA. He said he would announce his decision in a couple of days.
Rane has set up his own political outfit named the Maharashtra Swabhimani Party (MSP) and is expected to join the NDA and be sworn in as a minister. Before doing so, he resigned from the Legislative Council.
Since the BJP has only 123 seats in the Assembly, a relection to the Legislative Council might be difficult although the BJP did pull votes from other paties in the presidential election back in July.
“If Rane decides to contest an Assembly byelection, then too the united force of the Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP can ensure his defeat,” Pawar said.