Will Narayan Rane, if inducted in the Devendra Fadnavis Cabinet, get a place of pride? Not really, because the state government has already reserved a number two slot in the Cabinet hierarchy for a BJP senior, Chandrakant Patil.
<img title="Devendra Fadnavis and Chandrakant Patil" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/oct/Devendra-Fadnavis-ab.jpg" alt="Devendra Fadnavis and Chandrakant Patil" /> Devendra Fadnavis and Chandrakant Patil
Advantage Patil As per tradition, a former CM who holds a Cabinet berth is treated next to CM. In the Congress-led governments, the second position was occupied by the deputy CM. Rane, who headed several departments, however, couldn't get this spot despite being a former CM.
The position doesn't bring much for the particular minister, but s/he gets to sit next to the CM in Cabinet meetings as per seniority. Patil had replaced Eknath Khadse as the number two after the latter's resignation, but the position wasn't endorsed officially. The government confirmed the hierarchy only on Monday through a notification.
What is interesting is the timing of the endorsement, especially when it is said that Rane, now chief of a regional party, would be joining the BJP government in the next reshuffle, which, according to Fadanvis, would happen soon. Sources said Rane may get the number three position.
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Sources in the BJP also said the party was being very careful in not giving much importance to Rane. And it was because of this that Rane wasn't inducted in the party after he quit the Congress, but made to form his own political outfit - Maharashtra Swabhimani Paksh - that has officially joined the NDA.
Considering the feeling within the party, Fadnavis has used his prerogative to designate Patil, a minister of his choice, as second to him. If not designated thus, Fadnavis would have had to create the deputy CM's post for him.
In fact, said a BJP leader, Patil had been talking in private with people close to him about a possibility of creating the deputy CM's position for himself. "The CM has closed the topic by issuing a notification. Others (read Rane) have also been given an indication about their ranking before they get a ministerial berth," added the leader.
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Patil, being leader of the Upper House, deserved the honour, said another senior BJP minister.
The CM used to hand over charge of his office to the number two, among other things, if he was indisposed or out of the country. But in digital times, this has stopped because the CM can oversee things even from beyond seven seas.
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Will Narayan Rane get a place of pride in Devendra Fadnavis Cabinet?

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