The Congress Saturday suspended Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane for "gross indiscipline" following his public outburst against the party high command
NEW DELHI: The Congress Saturday suspended Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane for "gross indiscipline" following his public outburst against the party high command after he was ignored for the post of state chief minister.
The decision comes a day after Rane attacked outgoing Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and chief minister-designate Ashok Chavan, as well as the party, at a hurriedly convened media briefing at his residence.
Rane, whose name was being considered for the top post after Deshmukh resigned Wednesday in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks, opted out of the race after the party leadership selected Industry Minister Ashok Chavan for the top job.
"It has been observed that Rane made deliberate statements to lower prestige of the party. Taking a serious note of his (Rane's) utterances and considering it a case of gross indiscipline he has been suspended from the party with immediate effect," Congress media secretary Tom Vadakkan said.
Rane claimed that he holds key to the survival of soon-to-be-formed Ashok Chavan led Congress-NCP Government in Maharashtra.
"If I wish, I can prevent the new government from taking charge or topple it when it is formed. The new government is not in a majority and I can prove it on the floor of the house, even if the opposition does not demand a trust vote," Rane said.
Rane refused to divulge his future course of action when the winter session of the legislature would be convened in Nagpur this month.
"I will be going to Nagpur," he said. He said he could provide a letter of 30 MLAs to the Governor saying that they were not supporting the new government.
"I am refraining from doing this because the prevailing situation in the aftermath of terror attacks in Mumbai is not right. I warn the Congress not to provoke me to take such a step," he added.
Referring to his suspension from the Congress, Rane said he had been expecting the action.
"I consider this as a good omen. In 1997, Vilasrao Deshmukh was suspended from the party for six years and in 1999 he became the chief minister," Rane added.
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