Rane claims 44 MLAs' support, Sena faces split

Both the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are trying to zero in on expelled Shiv Sena leader Narayan Rane as allying with him is likely to help either party gain a decisive edge in Maharashtra politics.

This is after Rane today claimed the support of 42 MLAs. "Twenty-two MLAs are with me. Other 20 have phoned me, saying they supported me," Rane said, adding "who enjoys more support will be seen in the Assembly."

As the Shiv Sena appeared headed for a split, Rane said he would quit as the Leader of Opposition on the floor of the House in the monsoon session of the Assembly, beginning on July 11.

"As far as the Sena chief's other order, that of asking me to resign as an MLA is concerned, I intend to do that but not before taking my electorate into confidence as they have elected me on four occasions," Rane said.

Earlier in the day, Bal Thackeray, who addressed a meeting of party legislators and office-bearers here, said Rane was expelled and that the Sena would not tolerate his "gangsterism".

Rane, who blasted Udhav Thackeray for conspiring against him, said he had yet to decide on floating his own party or joining another party. "I still think I am a Shiv Sainik," he told reporters.

Event though Rane is still undecided about his next move, he is being wooed by the Congress and the NCP.

Both parties are aware that the number of Shiv Sena MLAs and MP s from the Konkan belt Rane controls can provide the crucial edge in terms of numbers for either of the parties to claim the numero uno position in Maharashtra politics.

If the NCP is able to get Rane's flock to defect and join its fold, it will be able to make a fresh claim on the chief ministership of Maharashtra, while for the Congress, it will mean retaining the top job as well as forging a base in the Sena bastion in the Konkan belt.

Rane and his loyal MLAs and MPs have the NCP salivating about the prospect of wresting control of the chief ministership from the Congress. Pawar, whose party piped the Congress to the post with 71 MLAs to the Congress' 69, had to concede the top job to the Congress.

With the prospect of adding another 15 MLAs at least to its tally, the NCP has clearly been the first off the blocks in wooing Rane. In fact, the party is believed to have instigated Rane to quit the Sena, holding simultaneous talks with Sena MP and former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu to do likewise.

However, under the new anti-defection laws, it is easier said than done.

If Rane decides to defect to another party even with one third of Sena MLAs, who total 63 in the state, he and his colleagues will have to relinquish their seats and seek re-election.

The other option of being able to defect with 42 MLAs by which Rane can claim the ownership of the Shiv Sena seems a little far-fetched at this point of time.

Yet another option for Rane---more logically-- will be to bide his time. Having been expelled from the Sena, Rane can continue as an MLA and attend the state legislature as an independent MLA.

For the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that last held the post of the Leader of the Opposition in the legislature in the early 1990s, Rane and his flock exiting the Sena will mean it can assume the role of the big brother of saffron politics in Maharashtra, a stated aim that the party has been unable to achieve on its own so far.