Narayan Rane rebukes son Nitesh over remark on CM

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Former Union minister and senior BJP leader Narayan Rane on Wednesday distanced himself from the controversial remark made by his son and Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane, who stirred a political row by saying that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was "everyone's father".Speaking to newspersons after paying obeisance at Tuljabhavani temple in Dharashiv district, senior Rane said, "A chief minister is nobody's father. I spoke to Nitesh and advised him not to make such statements. A CM is a public servant. When I was the CM, I would tell people not to call me ‘sahab' but ‘sevak' (servant)."Rane's sharp reaction came in the backdrop of a political backlash over Nitesh Rane's recent jibe amid growing friction within the Mahayuti alliance over resource allocation and leadership roles.Commenting further on the controversy over District Planning Committee (DPC) funds, which Nitesh alleged were being blocked, Narayan Rane said, "Withholding anyone's funds is wrong. I will issue instructions regarding that, too." His statement was seen as a move to control the damage caused by his son's remarks. Taking a swipe at MNS leader Prakash Mahajan, Narayan Rane said, "Prakash Mahajan is a mental case. Why are comparisons being made between him and me? I was in Delhi handling key portfolios. And he? He stands at Kranti Chowk here. Why should I come to meet someone like him?"When asked about a possible alliance between Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, Rane said he had no specific information. "If they come together, it's good," he added.Meanwhile, a banner targeting Nitesh Rane, allegedly put up by the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, surfaced in Thane's Teen Hath Naka area. The massive hoarding featured a statement by Tushar Rasal, a deputy spokesperson of the UBT faction, which read: "I, Tushar Dilip Rasal, was born to Dilip Pandharinath Rasal. Devendra Gangadhar Fadnavis is not my father."The banner, interpreted as a sarcastic retort to Nitesh Rane's comment, quickly went viral on social media. Following public attention, the Thane Municipal Corporation removed the banner.