Mumbai: Narayan Rane, who lost out in his bid to become the Maharashtra chief minister, has blamed his rivals within the Congress for his suspension from the party Saturday, saying many leaders, including outgoing chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, prevented him from getting the nod.

Rane told a packed media conference at his residence here that Deshmukh, state party president Manikrao Thakre and Mumbai party chief Kripa Shankar Singh, along with the backing of some industrialists, had hatched a conspiracy to keep him out of the top post. He also said that if his rivals continued to make baseless allegations against him, he would be forced to show his "strength" in the party.

"Even now, I can stop this government from taking office, I can prove the support I enjoy among the legislators and I can go to the governor with a plea that (incumbent) Ashok Chavan does not enjoy majority support. However, keeping in view the grim situation confronting Mumbai and state in the wake of recent terrorist attacks, I shall not take this step," Rane declared. Rane was remvoed for his criticism of the party and Chavan, named chief minister after Deshmukh stepped down taking moral responsibility for the Nov 26 terrorist attacks here.

Source : IANS