Nilesh Rane's Political Shift: Joining Forces with Shiv Sena

Nilesh Rane, the son of BJP MP Narayan Rane, has announced his decision to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena to contest in the Kudal assembly election. This move aligns with the ruling Mahayuti alliance's seat-sharing arrangement, as the Kudal constituency is allocated to the Shiv Sena.

Nilesh Rane, son of BJP MP Narayan Rane, announced on Tuesday his decision to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and compete in the Kudal assembly elections.

According to the Mahayuti alliance's seat-sharing formula, the Kudal constituency belongs to the Shiv Sena, prompting Nilesh to transition from BJP to Sena, party insiders revealed.

Vaibhav Naik of Shiv Sena (UBT), an enduring rival of the Ranes, currently holds the Kudal MLA seat, which falls under Narayan Rane's Lok Sabha domain, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg. The nearby Kankavali assembly is represented by Nilesh's younger sibling Nitesh, a BJP member.

(With inputs from agencies.)