Amid intense speculation that former Chief Minister and Maharashtra Swabhimani Paksha (MSP) founder chief Narayan Rane might merge his party with the ruling BJP on September 1, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said here on Friday that the MSP’s merger with his party would not happen unless and until he took the Shiv Sena leadership into confidence in the matter.
When his attention was drawn to a report in a section of the regional that Rane would merge MSP with the BJP at a party function at Solapur to to be attended by party’s national president Amit Shah, Fadnavis said: “Unless the issue is discussed the issue with the Shiv Sena and take its leaders into confidence, the BJP will not take a decision on the MSP’s merger with our party”.
Quoting Rane, a few regional newspapers had said recently that he would take a decision on his joining the BJP along with his former MP-son Nilesh Rane and sitting Congress MLA-son Nitesh Rane, in the next 10 days. Friday’s newspapers that Sr Rane would merge his party MSP with the BJP at its rally to be held in Solapur on September 1.
Sr. Rane was elected to Rajya Sabha with the support of the BJP on March 15 last year.
