Rane forms new party to "support" the BJP in Maharashtra

On 21st Sep, Maharashtra Congress leader Narayan Rane announced to quit Congress and its legislative council; the rumors were rife that he would do so soon.

Rane said that he had submitted his resignation because the Congress had "not fulfilled any promise it made in the last 12 years."

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Narayan Rane rose in politics under Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray due to his leadership qualities.

He began as Chembur's Shakha Pramukh and went on to become Maharashtra CM in 1999, after Manohar Joshi stepped down.

However, after Uddhav Thackeray's ascent in the party, Rane criticized his abilities, rankled that he was being sidelined. This led to his expulsion from the party in 2005.

Rane took 12 MLAs with him to Congress.

He later expressed disappointment that "I went to Congress because I was assured" of being "made chief minister in six months."

Instead, he became revenue minister in 2005-2008.

Subsequently, after 2008 Mumbai attacks, Vilasrao Deshmukh stepped down and Ashok Chavan became CM.

Rane cried foul and was suspended from the party but welcomed back in 2009.

In 2009, he was made Industries Minister in Congress government.

In 2014, Rane lost the Assembly elections. Finally, he entered the Assembly through the legislative council.

Now, his ties with Congress are completely cut-off after he announced that he will fight the gram sabha polls separately and incited a group of corporators elected to the district council through Congress to form a separate entity.

In the latest development in the Narayan Rane saga, the ex-Congress leader has floated a new political party called the Maharashtra Swabhimaan Paksh which "will support the BJP in Maharashtra".

One of his trusted aides said that Rane had floated the party to join the NDA as a partner, after the Shiv Sena voiced strong opposition against him directly joining the BJP.