The Congress has come up with an innovative strategy to pacify industries minister Narayan Rane who had threatened to quit the party as he wanted a leadership change in the state ahead of assembly election. Rane has been appointed as the head of poll campaign committee. He has been assigned the responsibility to enable the party to retain power for the fourth time. If Rane succeeds in his mission then the party will reward him with the chief ministerial post and offer some additional portfolios.
The morale of the Congress is at an all time low after its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha election. Rane made a rethink about his decision to quit the party after he was promised the chief ministerial post by the party. As of now the Congress led Democratic Front faces an uphill task to revive itself in the state. Former Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde will head the manifesto committee.
A close source from the Congress said, “Narayan Rane has reconsidered his decision to quit the party but he has put forward some conditions before the party. A responsibility has been assigned to Rane to campaign for the party in the state.”
Congress party had suffered massive debacle and only managed to win few seats in the Lok Sabha election. Therefore the party will be roping in Rane for campaigning for the assembly election.
“The Congress suffered a miserable defeat under the leadership of CM Prithviraj Chavan. Rane will be heading the election campaign committee and if the party performs well then he will be assigned the top job. He may also be allotted additional portfolio by the state government” sources further added.
On July 17, Rane revolted against Prithviraj Chavan’s leadership, saying it would not be possible for the Congress to retain power in the state under him. Rane’s contention was that in 2005, when he joined the Congress, he was assured the CM’s post in future and that all the legislators, who joined with him, would also be offered key assignments. He quit the cabinet, demanding a change in leadership.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls the Democratic front has managed to bag only 6 seats out of 48 seats. The NCP had won 4 seats while the Congress had won 2 seats. The assembly election is scheduled to be held in October 2014.
