Rane meets NCP146;s Patel, may float own party

8220;Talks are just at a preliminary stage. Rane is interested, but has not revealed his cards yet,8221; said a senior NCP leader.

Sources close to the former Shiv Sainik said Rane, who submitted his resignation on July 5, may break away from the Congress if the party does not take a decision within a week.

According to sources, Rane held a crucial meeting with his close aides on Monday where his supporters expressed their anguish over the party high command not only neglecting him, but also cutting him down to size by appointing Deshmukh8217;s supporters to crucial positions in the party units in Mumbai and Maharashtra.

8220;Rane is not the kind of person who would accept defeat and allow himself to be humiliated forever,8221; said a Rane aide. He claimed that a section of the Shiv Sena was interested in joining Rane if he floated his own party.

When Rane quit the Sena in July 2005, the NCP was keen to induct him. But Rane, who has a strong base in the Konkan region, chose the Congress. However, he has been increasingly isolated in the party ever since he raised the banner of revolt against the CM in December 2007.

While many senior Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary in charge of Maharashtra Margaret Alva and then PCC chief Prabha Rau, supported Rane8217;s contention about corruption and dismal performance of the Deshmukh regime, the Congress high command has apparently decided to side with the CM.