No succour for Rane, Thakre made PCC chief

New Delhi, August 17: In what looks like the end of the road for Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane in his year-long battle against Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Congress high command on Sunday made much-awaited appointments in the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), for which the Shiv Sainik-turned-Congressman was in the reckoning.

Manikrao Thakre was appointed Maharashtra PCC president. The post had fallen vacant after Prabha Rau was given a gubernatorial assignment last month. Jayant Awale was appointed PCC working president.

Gurudas Kamat, former Mumbai Region Congress Committee (MRCC) president, was appointed Campaign Committee chairman. Kripa Shankar Singh filled up the vacancy created by Kamat in the MRCC.

With these appointments, there is little scope left to accommodate Rane who was expected to be placated with the offer of the post of MPCC president or Campaign Committee chairman. The Revenue Minister had declined the offer stressing that he would not accept any compromise formula. Rane, whose letter of resignation from the state Cabinet has been pending with the high command, is still waiting for a call from 10, Janpath.

Contacted by The Indian Express on phone, Rane refused to comment on the latest appointments in the PCC. “I am still waiting to be called” was all Rane had to say.

With the latest development, Deshmukh has emerged as a major power player in the Congress circuit, having outplayed many heavyweights gunning for his head, including AICC general secretary Margaret Alva, former PCC chief Prabha Rau, Narayan Rane, and also Union Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde who aspired for the coveted post. Even External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, part of a three-member panel set up to review the performance of the Deshmukh Government, was said to be displeased with the state of affairs in Maharashtra.

Deshmukh also rode over stinging criticism within and outside the party for alienating minorities by sitting over the Srikrishna Commission report: Dalits by his mishandling of the infamous Khairlanji incident, and the farming community in general by reportedly accusing cotton farmers of dishonesty. With the Congress president giving a strong rebuff to his detractor Rane and NCP chief Sharad Pawar also learnt to be backing the Chief Minister, Deshmukh is now firmly in saddle.

As for Rane, the writing on the wall is clear. Although he had earlier stated that he would leave the state Cabinet but not the party, not many in the Congress are now ready to place a bet on this.

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