Dinner with Pawar brings Rane closer to Congress

The pathway to Congress bigwigs passes through NCP president Sharad Pawar’s office, so Congress leader Narayan Rane has realised. A day after a dinner meeting with Pawar, Rane got the much-sought-after audience with AICC general secretary Ahmed Patel and AK Antony (AICC in-charge of the state Congress).

On Tuesday, Rane met Pawar in Pune. A senior NCP leader, “Rane wished NCP would consider his elder son Nitesh as its candidate for the Sindhudurg Lok Sabha seat.” Pawar did not give any commitment, but the meeting created a flutter within the Congress. Senior state leaders panicked that NCP may use Rane to its advantage to gain upper hand in the Konkan region (the coastal area is considered a Rane bastion).

Union minister for minorities AR Antulay, of the Congress, is the sitting MP from Kolaba on the Konkan coast. The NCP is vying for the Sindhudurg seat but it does not have a suitable candidate. The NCP is apparently toying with the idea of backing Nitesh to consolidate its base in Konkan.

After his meeting with AICC leaders, Rane said, “I have conveyed my decision to remain in Congress and work under Sonia Gandhi’s leadership.” He said, “I am ready to take any assignment within the party as directed by her.”