Mah by-polls are an acid test for Narayan Rane

Mumbai, Nov 17 (UNI) The December four by-elections in Assembly constituences of Chimur and Daryapur in Vidarbha region, neccessitated due to the resignations of sitting Shiv Sena MLAs after they followed Revenue Minister Narayan Rane into the Congress, is seen in political circles as an acid test for the former Shiv Sena leader.

Mr Rane needs to get both his candidates elected to further his political ambitions in the Congress which he joined last year.

So far, out of the five Sena MLAs who quit the party to join him in the Congress, four have retained their seats on Congress ticket in the Legislative Assembly.

Vijay Waddetiwar and Prakash Bharsakle from Chimur and Daryapur respectively had tendered resignations of the membership of the house in July this year and formally joined the Congress.

So far, apart from Mr Rane who got re-elected from Malvan in Sindhudurg district last November, Shiv Sena MLAs from Shankar Kambli (Vengurla), Ganpat Kadam (Rajapur), Subhash Bane (Sangameshwar) and Kalidas Kolambkar (Naigaum) have also been re-elected on Congress ticket while Shyam Sawant was defeated from Srivardhan Assembly constituency.

The Congress is now the single largest party in 289 member Legislative Assembly with 73 members, while coalition partner NCP has 71 MLAs.

When Mr Rane was expelled from the Shiv Sena last year, he had announced that he had the support of more than 35 Shiv Sena MLAs, only eight MLAs have openly pledged support. Out of which five resigned and four got re-elected. However, with the four additional MLAs, Congress managed to get a pschyological advantage of being the single largest party in the Legislative Assembly.

If Mr Rane's candidates manage to retain the seats, the results could bolster his Chief Ministerial ambitions, political observers say. But, they are quick to add that the Congress high command has no plans to effect a change of guard in the State, at least till the local bodies polls which are being viewed as 'mini-Assembly election' are completed in March 2007.

The decision of the high command regarding a change in guard will be taken after assessing the Congress performance in these polls being held in Municipal councils, Corporations, Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis across the State.

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