Revenue minister Narayan Rane declared war against CM Vilasrao Deshmukh expressing dissatisfaction over the functioning of the Democratic Front government in Maharashtra.
AICC officials reveal that Rane complained to Margaret Alva and offered to resign from the cabinet
MUMBAI: Revenue minister Narayan Rane on Thursday declared war against chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh expressing dissatisfaction over the functioning of the Democratic Front government in Maharashtra. Rane said, “I am not happy with the functioning of the state government.”
Rane said, “It appears to me that the government is being run to serve the interest of just one person. The government is not serving the common man in the state.” Rane did not name the “one person”, but all fingers point to Deshmukh.
Rane said he had already apprised Sonia Gandhi of the pathetic state of affairs.
Rane’s seemingly unprovoked attack against Deshmukh two days ahead of the Gujarat assembly poll results may be interpreted within the MPCC as a well-calculated political strategy supported by a section within the AICC. Political observers feel that “section” may be AICC general secretary Margaret Alva who is in charge of Maharashtra.
A senior AICC functionary said, “Rane met Alva on Friday before going public against Deshmukh. He had bitterly complained against Deshmukh. At one point, Rane even offered to resign. But Alva cautioned him against taking such an extreme step. She advised him to meet party president Sonia Gandhi, arguing she (Alva, that is) was not authorised to accept any resignations.”
An upset Deshmukh lodged a complaint with Alva. Political managers of Deshmukh said, “His point was a senior cabinet minister like Rane cannot publicly condemn the government. If he had any differences on policy making or administration, he should have raised it within the cabinet or at the party forum.”
AICC officials explained, “Rane is mounting pressure for change of leadership in Maharashtra post-Gujarat polls. Through such dissidence, he is trying to tell the high command to fulfil the promise of making him chief minister of the state.” With the state assembly polls in scheduled in 2009, Rane knows that he will have to stake his claim now or never.
Rane, through this attack, is also trying to hint that if Congress fails to honour its commitment, he will look for alternatives including parting ways and launching his own organisation, political pundits say.
Deshmukh said, “There is no threat to my government. It is stable. As chief minister, I head the government. But every policy decision is taken in the cabinet collectively with consensus. I don’t run the government as an individual.”
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