Rane aide, 8 others join NCP
State industries minister Narayan Rane got a severe jolt as his close aide and legislator Rajan Teli joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday in Mumbai. Eight more legislators from other parties also joined the NCP. Teli, a close confidante of Rane, had moved to the Congress with Rane and was made an MLC by Rane. But in the last two years, Teli had many differences with Rane’s son Nitesh Rane. Rane Sr had openly blamed Teli for the defeat of his eldest son Nilesh in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. Sources close to Rane said that Teli had visited Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and sought an entry to the party, but the Shiv Sena refused to take him. He joined the NCP in the presence of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.
Teli said that he would be contesting from the Sawantwadi assembly seat. “Our trouble has ended. I wish all the best to the NCP’s Sindhudurg unit,” Rane’s son said. NCP state president Sunil Tatkare evaded giving a direct response to queries on Teli’s name allegedly figuring in a murder case of the NCP’s Satyavijay Bhise a few years ago.
Meanwhile, nine Independent legislators, including minister Dilip Sopal, joined the party. The other legislators were Mansingh Naik from Shirala, Balasaheb Patil from Karad, Makrand Patil from Wai, Ramesh Thorat from Daund, Babasaheb Patil from Ahmedpur, Suresh Deshmukh, Sharad Gavit and Sahebrao Patil.
Teli said that he would be contesting from the Sawantwadi assembly seat. “Our trouble has ended. I wish all the best to the NCP’s Sindhudurg unit,” Rane’s son said. NCP state president Sunil Tatkare evaded giving a direct response to queries on Teli’s name allegedly figuring in a murder case of the NCP’s Satyavijay Bhise a few years ago.
Meanwhile, nine Independent legislators, including minister Dilip Sopal, joined the party. The other legislators were Mansingh Naik from Shirala, Balasaheb Patil from Karad, Makrand Patil from Wai, Ramesh Thorat from Daund, Babasaheb Patil from Ahmedpur, Suresh Deshmukh, Sharad Gavit and Sahebrao Patil.
