Rane ups the ante against Deshmukh

Asked whether he was demanding a leadership change, Rane said it was for the Congress leadership to decide. “I have no comments to offer on that. Congress president and high command will take a decision on that. But I must say one thing… that the Government of Maharashtra is not functioning for the 10 crore people of the state. There are many problems of the people, which are not being attended to. I am not happy with the way it is functioning,” he said.

When contacted for his reaction, Deshmukh sought to play down the development, saying he did not attach much importance to it. “Chalta hai… these things keep happening. Nothing is important,” he said.

He, however, said Rane’s outbursts were uncalled for and not proper. “It (running the government) is a collective responsibility,” Deshmukh told The Indian Express. “There might be differences, but the party high command has a system to redress them. I don’t think that it is a full-fledged revolt against me. The media has the habit of exaggerating such things and seems to be more concerned than us. I don’t give much importance to it,” he said.

Rane’s campaign against Deshmukh has the tacit support of AICC general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra Margaret Alva, but has not been very successful.

Deshmukh met Sonia Gandhi on Thursday and apprised her of the state’s political situation. Sonia apparently is not inclined towards any change of leadership in a hurry, and according to party sources, Rane is getting increasingly frustrated. He is reportedly exploring his options, including quitting the Congress and joining hands with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Rane too was in the Shiv Sena before joining the Congress and hoped to become the party’s choice for chief minister.