'No': Eknath Shinde replies to Narayan Rane's 'fed up with Sena' claim

Shinde said that he did not understand why Rane made that claim and said that he takes the decisions in the ministry which is functioning smoothly.

Maharashtra minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said that Union minister Narayan Rane’s claims that he was fed up with the Sena were ‘baseless’. Shinde said that he is happy in the Shiv Sena and that Rane’s comments were aimed at creating confusion in the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition.

Shinde said that Rane has been making such statements since the formation of the MVA to create confusion in the minds of the MVA partners. (Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times)

“Maharashtra minister Eknath Shinde is fed up with the Shiv Sena as he has to ask the ‘Matoshree’ (residence of chief minister and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray) before signing any file. If he approaches me, I will surely induct him into the BJP. Shinde is bored there and has no work. He is in trouble there,” Rane was quoted as saying by news agency PTI while the Union minister was conducting a Jan Ashirwad Rally near Vasai in Mumbai. Rane formerly was a lawmaker from the Shiv Sena.

Shinde said that he did not understand why Rane made that claim and said that he takes the decisions in the ministry which is functioning smoothly. Shinde said that Rane has been making such statements since the formation of the MVA to create confusion in the minds of the MVA partners. “I am loyal to the Sena and Uddhav Thackeray. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is involved when it comes to taking any policy decision and we make decisions together,” he said. He also said that Rane must be aware of these technicalities since he too was a chief minister earlier.

“Rane in his capacity as Union MSME Minister is free to take decisions but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is involved whenever a policy decision has to be taken,” he further added. Shinde cited Unified Development Control Regulations (DCR) and the ongoing construction of the Samruddhi Mahamarg connecting Mumbai with Nagpur to assert that he is free to take decisions.

(with inputs from PTI)