Shinde frustrated over Sena matters, looking for alternatives: Rane

Rane has been a bitter critic of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray since he was expelled from Shiv Sena. He launched an offensive against Shiv Sena from the beginning of ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’

Newly inducted Union minister Narayan Rane on Saturday made serious allegations against Shiv Sena and said all the files related to the urban development department (UDD) are being cleared by the Matoshri, residence of Shiv Sena chief and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. He claimed that senior Sena minister Eknath Shinde is fed up with his party as he has no powers and is looking for alternatives.

Eknath Shinde is a senior Sena leader and holds the urban development department in the MVA government. (HT Photo)

Shinde is a senior Sena leader and holds the urban development department in the MVA government.

From August 19, Rane is on ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’ in the state covering most of the districts of the Konkan region. On Saturday he was in Vasai where he made the statement.

“Though he (Eknath Shinde) is the urban development minister in the MVA government, he is being used only to sign files. The rest is in the hands of ‘son’, who is also a minister and another person who is not in politics and thus I’m not taking his name. No file from the urban development department can be cleared without approval from Matoshri (Thackeray’s residence),” Rane alleged without naming Aaditya Thackeray, son and environment minister in the MVA government.

“He (Eknath Shinde) is frustrated and tired of this and is looking for alternatives… I will provide for him one day,” the Union minister said, indicating unrest in the party.

Rane has been a bitter critic of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray since he was expelled from Shiv Sena. He launched an offensive against Shiv Sena from the beginning of ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’.

Rane also predicted that the Thackeray-led MVA government will fall soon.

In response, Shiv Sena said there is no unrest in the party and Rane is making all the baseless allegations to please his bosses. “There is no unrest in Shiv Sena. Shinde is one of the best performing ministers and is the first person who reaches the spot if an incident happens. Rane suddenly has got a position and thus he is making all the allegations to show his bosses that he is doing something,” said Manisha Kayande, Sena spokesperson.

She also alleged the BJP is reeling with unrest and not Shiv Sena. “BJP has no leader who can lead the party in the upcoming BMC elections. This is the reason BJP loyalists have been sidelined and Rane is being projected. Thus there is unrest in the BJP and not in Shiv Sena,” she slammed.

All the four newly inducted ministers in the Narendra Modi government have started ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’ in the state since last week. Ahead of the upcoming local body elections, the state BJP unit is looking at an opportunity to take the central schemes to the people and also expose the alleged failure of the Thackeray government being run by Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.