Rane chapter in Maha politics closed: says bete noire Kesarkar

Maharashtra Minister of State for Finance Deepak Kesarkar today said the result of recently- concluded Bandra (East) byelection shows that Congress leader Narayan Rane's political career has come to an end.
"Rane chapter in Maharashtra politics is closed now," said Kesarkar whose rebellion against NCP leadership to join Shiv Sena last year was a major factor in the defeat of Rane in Assembly elections on his home turf of Sindhudurg district.
Kesarkar got elected from Sawantwadi seat in Assembly polls last October.
Rane, a former chief minister, was trounced by Shiv Sena's Trupti Sawant by a margin of over 19,000 votes in the crucial byelection given his humiliating defeat, also at the hands of a Sena MLA, in his pocketborough last year.

"There are many problems in the state concerning people and our government is bound to give justice to them," he told reporters after taking darshan of Saibaba at the famous shrine.
Responding to a query on the compensation to farmers whose grape, mango and sugarcane crop was hit due to unseasonal rains, the minister said the government will pay them Rs 25,000 per hectare after assessing the extent of the damage.

He said the government will have to implement the Seventh Pay Commission for its employees in future.
On Konkan tourism, Kesarkar said tourists visiting Goa have now started coming to Sindhudurg as well.

"Centre has declared a special scheme for the development of tourism in Konkan as per which overall development will be carried out in Sindhudurg district," the minister said.