Rane to lead a show of strength in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg today

Rane flew to Ratnagiri on Friday morning to resume his Jan Ashirwad Yatra, which was halted because of his arrest on Tuesday. The Yatra, which new inductees into the Union council of ministers are undertaking across the country, will culminate in neighbouring Sindhudurg district on Sunday

Union minister Narayan Rane will lead a show of strength in his home district of Sindhudurg in Maharashtra on Friday evening three days after he was arrested and later released on bail over his slap remark about chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. He flew to Ratnagiri on Friday morning to resume his Jan Ashirwad Yatra, which was halted because of his arrest on Tuesday. The Yatra, which new inductees into the Union council of ministers are undertaking across the country, will culminate in neighbouring Sindhudurg district on Sunday.

Union minister Narayan Rane. (HT file photo)

Rane was scheduled to pay respect to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and BR Ambedkar at their statues in Ratnagiri before heading to his home district of Sindhudurg. He will meet his supporters in Lanja and Rajapur en route. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was preparing for his welcome at Kharepatan, the entry point to the district, where he will lead a roadshow.

Rane underwent a health check-up on Thursday as he took a two-day break after his arrest over his remarks on Monday. He hit out at Thackeray on Wednesday and asked why action was not taken against him for his similar remarks against BJP leaders.

Vinayak Raut, the ruling Shiv Sena Member of Parliament from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, said they are not against Rane’s Yatra. “But it should be held in the manner it is expected to be carried out. He has been attacking and targeting Shiv Sena and our leadership out of his personal enmity. Whether to give permission or not is the decision to be taken by Sindhudurg administration amid the prohibitory orders (restricting assembly of people).”