Taking on Thackerays: Rane's 'slap' remark may galvanise Sena workers

With Rane, BJP looks to expand its footprint in Mumbai and Konkan. But a perceived self-goal by him may have galvanised the restive Sena cadre and voters to coalesce around their party

In July, when Narayan Rane was inducted as minister for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Narendra Modi-led Cabinet, it was evident that the purpose was more political than administrative.
 
A former Shiv Sainik who retained the aggressive mannerisms of his parent party, Rane was expected to give an edge to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election, due early 2022. The BMC, the richest civic body in Asia with a budget of around Rs 39,000 crore, is under the Shiv Sena’s control for several years (1985-1992 and 1997-until now). The