Maharashtra Minister of Revenue Narayan Rane claimed on Thursday that he had submitted his resignation to Congress President Sonia Gandhi on July 3 itself and was simply waiting for her approval.
On Wednesday, Rane had threatened to quit over Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh’s decision to allot a government land in Navi Mumbai to Videocon for what he claimed was a pittance. He wanted the government to auction the land at market rate and not favour a particular company.
Rane told Hindustan Times that he had put in his papers on July 3. “I had requested her to relieve me a month ago. I had sent my resignation to her after my detractors blamed me for the trouble at her rally in Mumbai,” said Rane. He said he had requested Sonia to relieve him by July 16.
However, with the trust vote coming up in Parliament, the party chief could not take any decision and Congress’ state general secretary Margaret Alva had asked him to hold on till the Sonia returned from Beijing.
Although Deshmukh’s supporters cried foul over the minister leaking the Cabinet meetings proceedings — during which Rane had raised objections to the Videocon land deal — to the media, Rane said that he was prepared to face any disciplinary action.
{{/usCountry}}Although Deshmukh’s supporters cried foul over the minister leaking the Cabinet meetings proceedings — during which Rane had raised objections to the Videocon land deal — to the media, Rane said that he was prepared to face any disciplinary action.
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