Amit Shah in Mumbai, charts Narayan Rane’s entry to Rajya Sabha

MUMBAI: A day after his meeting with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Congress leader and former CM Narayan Rane’s entry into the BJP appears to be a formality. Fadnavis had on Saturday called on Rane at his Juhu residence.
If a senior cabinet member is to be believed, Rane’s entry formula was discussed at length at a high-level meeting in presence of BJP president Amit Shah. It has been proposed that while Rane will be nominated to Rajya Sabha, his legislator son Nitesh will be inducted into the state government as a minister of state during the ensuing cabinet expansion, while his elder son Neelesh will be nominated to the legislative council.Shah was in Mumbai on Sunday for a visit to Lalbaugcha Raja and for the releasing of a book on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The proposal was discussed at length, it will be brought to the notice of Modi and if approved, it will be submitted to Rane. We expect Rane to accept the formula and join the BJP,” the cabinet member said. “If he joins the BJP, it will help strengthen the organization in Konkan region, considered as a Rane stronghold.”
Though Fadnavis had, on Saturday, declined to share details of his talks with Rane at the latter’s residence, the cabinet member confirmed that an informal discussion did take plane on Rane’s entry into the BJP. So far, there was dispute over accommodating Rane and his two sons. Secondly, Rane was insisting on his induction in the state cabinet with revenue portfolio, nomination of Neelesh for Lok Sabha and Nitesh in the state assembly for the 2019 elections. Rane declined to comment on his possible entry into the BJP, but the cabinet member said the he is insisting on honourable entry into the BJP, plum portfolio in the state cabinet and rehabilitation of his sons Neelesh and Nitesh.