Straight fight between Cong and BJP in Maharashtra: Rane

AURANGABAD: Former state industries minister Narayan Rane on Sunday said that this assembly election was a direct fight between the Congress and BJP.

"Soon after the NCP parted ways with the Congress, its political existence has ceased to exist. The NCP's watch (party symbol) has stopped working. The Shiv Sena does not have the power to fight us. So now, our direct fight is with BJP," he said.

He also questioned why Modi and the BJP do not come clean about ministers in Gujarat, who are facing corruption charges.

He was in the city to campaign for Congress Aurangabad Central candidate MM Shaikh, a former MLC and a member of the Maharashtra State Board of Wakf. The party fielded him after the split with the NCP. Earlier, Aurangabad central constituency was reserved for the NCP.

After former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, ex-home minister RR Patil, Rane also expressed his displeasure over the central government's move to shift the National Institute of Coastal Policing from Palghar in Maharashtra to Dwarka in Gujarat. He also pointed out the attempts by Modi to shift the RBI headquarters out of Mumbai.

He criticized the NCP for publicly lashing out at the Congress and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan. "The NCP enjoyed power and worked under the leadership of Chavan, but now they are trying to find fault in us," he said.

http://ift.tt/1ywjxsc Rane,Maharashtra assembly polls

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India’s mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.