BJP bets on Rane as Shinde sulks

BJP has outsmarted Eknath Shinde-led formulation by pocketing the Ratnagiri Sindhudurg constituency – traditionally a citadel of the undivided Shiv Sena – and awarding it to its nominee -- Union minister Narayan Rane.

In the region, the BJP’s lone legislator is Nitesh Rane, who is incidentally Narayan Rane’s son; he represents the Kankavli assembly constituency. Ratnagiri and Sawantwadi, meanwhile, are represented by the Shinde Shiv Sena, Kudal and Rajapur by Shiv Sena UBT and Chiplun by Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

By nominating Narayan Rane, the BJP is betting big and putting all its eggs in the Ratnagiri basket; the party is doing so smug in the belief that Narayan Rane is in a position to turn the tide in its favour by taking on Uddhav Thackeray and whittling down the sympathy factor working in Uddhav’s favour since the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.