As political candidates actively seek seats and party affiliations following the announcement of election dates, BJP MP Narayan Rane is focused not on his own prospects but on securing a position for his son, Nilesh Rane.
As per FPJ sources, The Ranes met with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at his official residence on Sunday for a 30-minute discussion. Following this meeting, they reportedly visited Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Nilesh is determined to run for the Kudal-Malvan assembly constituency in Sindhudurg, which is currently represented by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Vaibhav Naik.
Should Chief Minister Shinde agree to induct Nilesh Rane into the Shiv Sena, it would result in a direct contest between him and Naik for the seat. In a related development, the BJP announced that Narayan Rane’s younger son, Nitesh Rane, is included in its first list of candidates and will contest from the Kankavali constituency.
Recently, Uday Samant, the Minister of Industries, indicated that Nilesh would be welcomed into the Shiv Sena if he expressed interest in joining. Sawantwadi MLA and School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar supported this sentiment, noting, “In the Mahayuti alliance, there is a tradition of exchanging candidates; thus, Nilesh will be accommodated if he joins Shiv Sena.”
Political observers have pointed out Nilesh Rane’s aggressive demeanor, highlighted by viral videos from a confrontation between Shiv Sena (UBT) and BJP supporters following the fall of a statue of Shivaji Maharaj. This incident could potentially be leveraged by the opposition during campaign efforts, prompting Shinde to carefully consider Nilesh’s induction.
The question remains whether the BJP will offer the Kudal-Malvan seat to accommodate Nilesh Rane or if Shinde will have to relinquish another seat for the BJP. As the political landscape shifts, the decisions made by the Ranes and their allies will be closely watched in the lead-up to the elections.