20 February,2009 12:12 PM IST | | Agencies
Former revenue minister Narayan Rane was inducted in the two-month-old Ashok Chavan cabinet yesterday to give an edge to the Congress campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, The Times of India reported.
Rane's suspension from the party for making disparaging remarks against Sonia Gandhi, Ahmed Patel, Vilasrao Deshmukh and other Congress leaders was revoked last week. Along with Rane, former minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil was inducted as a cabinet minister, while former minister Naseem Khan, who is an MLA from Kurla, was inducted as minister of state. Rane was the revenue minister in the erstwhile Vilasrao Deshmukh government.
u00a0According to party insiders, two senior party activists, former MPCC president Govindrao Adik as well as Dilip Deshmukh were to be inducted, but at the eleventh hour, Chavan changed his mind. Chavan has kept one cabinet post vacant, which he said would be filled up after the Lok Sabha elections.
u00a0In a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan, Governor S C Jamir administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers. Chavan, Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal, MPCC president Manikrao Thakre were among those present.
Rane's reinduction sent shockwaves in police circles. On December 6, he had told mediapersons that he knew the names of certain politicians who had financed and provided logistical support to the 26/11-terror attack.
"We wanted to question him about this since it is a criminal offence not to disclose information about a crime. Given the gravity of the terror strike, we assumed that we would be permitted to record his statement. But till date, our political bosses have not given us the permission to question him,'' a senior police official told TOI. Convenor of Deshbhakti Andolan Dr Avisha K had filed a PIL to compel Rane to disclose the names. But the Bombay high court did not admit the petition.
The Congress high command wanted to induct Adik, a seasoned politician who could understand and counter the political moves of NCP chief Sharad Pawar. However, due to pressure from veteran Congress leader Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, his son Radhakrishna was inducted.
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