Mumbai: Suspended Congress leader Narayan Ranes threat to float his own party and enter into an alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has laft all major political parties thinking. Rane has indicated that he would unfold his political plans in January 2009. Sensing Ranes destructive ability, the ruling Congress and NCP are drawing strategies to corner their probable political rival.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Manickrao Thakre said, "Rane has been suspended from the party, he is not expelled as yet. In politics, nothing can be written off if an individual tenders his apology sincerely. The final decision will be left to Sonia Gandhi."

The Congress leadership maintained that the flip-flop on Rane could be a well calculated strategy to confuse the party which is willing to strike an alliance with him. A sizeable section within the Congress Working Committee (CWC) who are against the AICC general secretary Ahmed Patel are averse to allowing Rane to leave the Congress. A close aide of Rane said, "His decision to join hands with BSP would affect the electoral prospects of Congress and NCP. The BSP in state is vying for Dalits as well as other backward castes - the main electoral stay of the ruling combine."

Meanwhile, haunted with the thought of Rane joining hands with BSP, Shiv Sena has started discussions with the BSPs second-rung leaders in Mumbai. "In politics nothing can be ruled out. We have always worked to bring the forward and backward castes on a common platform through the concept of Shiv Shakti-Bhim Shakti." said Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, the possibility of new permutation and combination cutting across party lines cannot be ruled out. Sources also wonder whether it is the NCP game plan to bring Sena-BSP together to undermine BJP.  According to BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde, "Shiv Sena and BJP alliance was founded on Hindutva. If any new partner (BSP) were to join the alliance it will require the consent of BJP and Senas top leadership. I dont think Sena-BJP alliance will break."

A member of the BJP think-tank said, "We are aware that a section within the Sena are guided by a Sharad Pawar agenda. If Sena-BSP strike an alliance to corner us, we will give a befitting reply. We are not averse to partnership with MNS or Narayan Rane."
Source : Central