Congress avoids action against 2 MLAs

Mumbai: Fearful of losing its dominance in the state legislature and the post of the Leader of Opposition (LoP), the state Congress is avoiding initiation of any disciplinary action against its two MLAs Nitesh Rane, son of former Congress leader Narayan Rane, and Kalidas Kolambkar, a staunch supporter of the senior Rane. The main opposition party is caught in a dilemma.

Despite becoming inactive in the party, Congress is yet to take any action against the duo. Nitesh had voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the last Council polls in which BJP’s candidate Prasad Lad won. According to the party, Nitesh Rane and Kolambkar have become inactive after Narayan Rane floated his own party and are seen cozying to the BJP.

Narayan Rane was offered a Rajya Sabha berth recently by the BJP.

If the Congress suspends their membership, it will be left with only 40 MLAs, one less than the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). “Any such action will be followed by the NCP claiming the post of Leader of Opposition in the Assembly with 41 MLAs and the Congress will lose all privileges attached to LoP post,” a senior party leader said.

Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, a senior Congress MLA, who is the leader of the opposition. There are enough indications Nitesh Rane, and Kolambkar are keeping a distance from daily activities of the party, including not joining the protests inside the House. Despite all this, no disciplinary action is being initiated against them just to keep the post of leader of the opposition with the party, said the Congress leader.

Another Congress leader said Nitesh Rane has not only distanced himself from the party but also taunted it in the past.