Decision to merge Rane's party with BJP to be taken after talk with Shiv Sena: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that the decision to merge Narayan Rane's party with the BJP will be taken after discussions with Shiv Sena.

Speaking at a press conference here, Fadnavis said, "Rane is close to BJP and the only thing that has to be decided is whether his party will merge with us or not."

"Final decision will be taken after discussions with Shiv Sena," he said.

Rane, is the former Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP from BJPs' Maharashtra quota, may likely be inducted into BJP before the Assembly polls.

Former Chief Minister Rane was the member of Shiv Sena and opposition leader of Vidhan Sabha until July 2005, before he joined Congress party.

Rane quit Congress in September 2017 and launched the Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksha (MSP). In 2018, he declared support for BJP.

At the press conference, Fadnavis also hit out at Congress and NCP saying that these parties are in opposition now and they have not been able to do that job in a correct manner as well. This is the reason why people have lost confidence from both Congress and NCP.

The Maharashtra Chief minister further said that Sharad Pawar's NCP has been reduced to a district-level party.