Shiv Sena-BJP tussle over seats only for CM's post: Rane

Says the tussle is for personal and selfish interests

Congress leader and Maharashtra Industries Minister Narayan Rane today said the tug of war between Shiv Sena and BJP over seat-sharing was for the Chief Minister's post, but neither party had a candidate for the top job in the state.

Talking to reporters at Aurangabad, Rane said, "All this (tussle between Sena and BJP) is for personal and selfish interests, when both parties do not have a single capable person to lead the state."

Congress had "half a dozen" leaders who were capable of becoming the Chief Minister, he said, adding that the current logjam over seat-sharing between Congress and NCP was only about number of seats and not about the CM's post. Congress was ready to give 124 seats (out of the 288 seats of Maharashtra Assembly) to NCP, he said.

"The first list of Congress candidates would be released in two days. It is my personal view that the Congress-NCP alliance should continue, in the interest of the state as well as both the parties," he said.

Earlier, Rane, who is the campaign committee chief of the state Congress for the next month's Assembly elections, and Ashok Chavan, who is the co-ordination committee head, addressed a meeting of party workers from Marathwada region.

Rane said during the campaign, Congress will highlight the "double-speak" of BJP and NDA government's failure to check price rise.

"The Modi wave has now receded, as was shown in the by-elections. A wave is never permanent and whatever little is left of the wave, it won't benefit the Sena-BJP in Maharashtra," he claimed.