PUNE, 16 October 2005 — Mahrashtra’s Revenue Minister Narayan Rane on Friday night met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and informed her that eleven legislators from the Shiv Sena were ready to join the Congress party.
Speaking to newsmen after returning from the meeting, Rane admitted that he was keen and aspiring for the chief minister’s post of Maharashtra and that he has given enough indications to this aspect earlier.
Rane said that AICC General Secreatary Margaret Alva and state PCC Presient Prabha Rau too were present during his meeting with Sonia. It appears that the days of chief minsiter Vilarao Deshmukh are coming to an end soon.
“I told the Congress president that eleven legislators of the Shiv Sena are all set to defect and join the Congress any time now. In next week three out of the eleven will join the Congress.” Rane said.
The former Sena chief Minister and who was also the leader of the Opposition in the state legislature said that the defection and resignations of the Sena legislators will follow in stages.
The Sena legilsators will resign their seats and join the Congress only after they are given firm assurances of their political rehabilitation, tickets for the by-elections, and ministerial berths.
