Narayan Rane aide Shrikant Sarmalkar returns to Shiv Sena

Shrikant Sarmalkar, close aide of Maharashtra industries minister Narayan Rane, today returned to Shiv Sena after five years in Congress.

Sarmalkar left the saffron party along with Rane in 2005, and joined Congress. However, he did not get any important post there, which made him disgruntled.

Sarmalkar reentered Sena today in the presence of party chief Bal Thackeray and executive president Uddhav Thackeray, at the Thackerays residence, Matoshree, here.

Speaking to media afterwards, Sarmalkar said, "I regret leaving Shiv Sena. I did not get any scope to work there (in Congress) and waned to come back to the party from where I started (political career)."

Uddhav Thackeray said, "It is true that for sometime he was not with us, and now he is back. There are few others who want to return. But we will not take in everybody."

Congress sources said that Sarmalkar had been already sidelined by Rane, following his differences with Rane's son, Nitesh.