Nilesh Rane (centre) and his father, former Union minister Narayan Rane, met Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde at his official residence late on Sunday evening for around 30 minutes. (PTI)There is growing speculation in Maharashtra that BJP leader and former MP Nilesh Rane may soon join Eknath Shinde’s faction of the Shiv Sena.
Nilesh Rane and his father, former Union minister Narayan Rane, met the Maharashtra chief minister at his official residence late on Sunday evening for around 30 minutes. Sources suggest that Nilesh Rane is likely to contest the upcoming state assembly elections from the Kudal-Malvan constituency under the Shiv Sena banner. According to sources, Nilesh Rane’s formal induction into the party is expected within the next two days.
The potential switch comes amid ongoing seat-sharing discussions within the Mahayuti alliance, which includes Shinde’s Shiv Sena, the BJP, and other allied parties. Nilesh Rane’s candidacy from Kudal-Malvan appears likely, although the final decision about which party he will represent is yet to be announced.
Reacting to the possibility of Nilesh Rane joining their ranks, senior leaders from Shinde’s Shiv Sena have expressed their readiness to welcome him.
Minister Gulabrao Patil said, “If Nilesh Rane is indeed joining our Shiv Sena, we will certainly welcome him. We have always been open to those coming from the BJP.” Similarly, minister Uday Samant remarked: “If Nilesh Rane joins us, we will stand firmly behind him, strengthening the Shiv Sena in the process.”
Deepak Kesarkar, another key figure in the party and leader from Konkan, offered a more cautious response. While he acknowledged that Nilesh Rane’s potential candidacy from Kudal-Malvan is likely, he emphasised that it remains unclear under which party’s banner he will contest. Kesarkar explained, “There is a tradition within the Mahayuti alliance of swapping candidates between our parties, as we saw in Palghar. Our alliance is strong enough for us to exchange candidates if necessary.”
This development could have a notable impact on Konkan politics, as the Rane family holds significant influence in the region. The discussions around Nilesh Rane’s possible entry into the Shiv Sena are being closely watched, especially given the upcoming state assembly elections.
The Mahayuti alliance has already begun the process of finalising its candidates, with the BJP having announced its list of 99 candidates. With Konkan being a key region for all political parties involved, the shifting alliances and potential candidate changes are part of a broader strategy to maintain dominance in this important electoral battleground. The recent meeting between Narayan Rane, Nilesh Rane, and CM Shinde at Varsha is likely part of this ongoing negotiation process, with more developments expected in the coming days.
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