Headlines
Narayan Rane Congress candidate in Bandra East bypoll
Mumbai, March 22
Senior Congress leader and
former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane will contest the
prestigious Bandra East assembly bypoll, the party announced on Sunday.
The
party will not contest the Tasgaon-Kavthemahankal constituency in
Sangli, held by former deputy chief minister R.R. Patil who died last
month, state Congress chief Ashok Chavan announced following the party
high command decision in New Delhi.
The bypoll to Bandra East was necessitated by the death of sitting member Prakash Bala Sawant of the Shiv Sena.
Bandra
East is considered a Shiv Sena bastion as the Thackerays' household
'Matoshri' is situated there, and the party has been speaking of an
unoposed election in memory of the departed leader and it plans to field
his widow Trupti from the constituency.
Rane's name was in
speculation since the past few days and he agreed to contest bowing to
the party wishes. He had lost the October 2014 assembly polls from his
home town in Sindhudurg.
He reportedly made up his mind following a crucial meeting with Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar early on Sunday.
The
election is considered critical for Rane's return to mainstream
politics though he is also tipped for the post of party general
secretary.
The Bandra East bypoll will also be a litmus test for
the leadership of the newly-appointed state unit chief Ashok Chavan and
Mumbai chief Sanjay Nirupam.
Incidentally, Rane had expressed his
displeasure against both appointments claiming senior leaders were not
consulted over the issue.