Rane warns Shiv Sena of bringing out cases step by step

Union minister and BJP leader Narayan Rane on Friday warned the Shiv Sena that he knew a lot of things about the party and its leaders and would bring out cases step by step. Rane, who is locked in a bitter fight with the party, was speaking at a rally in Ratnagiri as part of his Jan Ashirwad Yatra.

He also added that he knew who had asked whom to throw acid on brother's wife. Earlier this week, Rane had made remarks against Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray. The comment kicked up a row and led to his arrest on Tuesday before his release a few hours later. The comments had triggered clashed between Shiv Sena and BJP supporters.

"I have worked with them for 39 years, I know a lot of things. I know who asked whom to throw acid on his own brother's wife. What kind of 'sanskar' is it?" the BJP leader said.

Hinting at CM Uddhav Thackeray, he said, "What did one achieve by arresting a Union Minister? I will bring out cases step by step."

"A Sena boy - Varun Sardesai - had come outside my home (in Mumbai) and threatened me. If he comes next time, he won't go back," the former Maharashtra Chief Minister added. Varun Sardesai is a leader of the Yuva Sena, the youth wing of Shiv Sena. Yuva Sena workers had protested outside Rane's bungalow in Mumbai on Tuesday over his remarks.

Rane is a former Shiv Sena worker. He became the state Chief Minister in 1999 with the party's backing. He was expelled in 2005 for anti-party activities, following which he joined the Congress. He was part of the Congress until October 2017, when he quit and launched the Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksha. In 2018, he declared support for the BJP and was elected to the Rajya Sabha on its nomination. His party merged with the BJP in October 2019. He was made the Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) last month in the cabinet reshuffle.